News and citizen. [volume] (Morrisville, Vt. ;) 1881-current, 1888-11-22
ZEKE,

ZEKE.
G[N -1S~@&0i WAS a girl of only
h&%|4 RM 81 19 years when l left
./<Tal kSAN my fathers house
I Ik4k-[t kfSA\I to become teacher
EeAs4S kErSfAN in q country district
HI tsts2s - 0E2&lsI VI school. 1 do not
HtENIESk fEk2eHf5f "a suppose that I was
k\%%$%s REsf particularly clever,
Il \>SJ k/ but / knew enough
~ ~ to teach country
N boys and girls of q
generation ago neither do 1 for mo-
ment imagine that / was remarkably
pretty or beautiful, though l think L
possessed fair share of comeliness
and, at any rate, felt no uneasiness on
that score.
Upon my first morning at the primi
tive schoolhouse I found myself sur
rounded by some thirty or more boys
and girls, of variety such as one might
naturally expect to find in a rural district
some twenty years since. They were of
ell ages from to II, and were none of
them particularly apt or bright scholars
save one.
In a corner, near the door, and the
farthest from my desk, sat an Odd-look-
ing lad of perhaps Is years. He was
the last whom / called upon to give me
his name and other information, SO that
I might classify him properly. 1 noticed
he had a bright eye and, although
dressed clumsily enough, was pleasant
lad to look upon; but he was intensely
bashful.
'Will you tell me your name ?" I
asked. The lad glanced at me shyly
and dropped his eyes. Almost in
whisper he said
"Ruggles, ma'am."
"Yes," L said, ''but your full name2"
Before he could reply some precocious
youngster in petticoats volunteered
'1t's Zeke, marm, Zeke Ruggles !"
/ silenced the smart speaker and
again turned TO my eldest scholar.
"Giveme your Christian name, please,
so can enter it on the register"
''Hezekiah Ruggles' -
1t wasn't much of n name-at least,
so l thought at the time.
l taught school at Grasshopper Cor
ners from late fall until early summer,
and then l commenced to make prepa-
rations to go home for needed rest.
By that time 1 had learned q good deal
of Zeke Ruggles.
Lis 1dbucT WIS Tue
who made a fair living, and, appreciat-
ing the lack of education in himself, de-
sired his boy to learn as much as posi- !
bic. Zeke proved very attentive |
scholar, and, although he was not pos
sessed of prodigious intellect or ligl t.
ming oapidity, heapplied himself so dill
isently to his studies that L began to
lie wossll1-soon reaebp point where
IL would be necessary ri him to pro-
cure teacher of greater erudition than
myself.
/ had been annoyed more than once
by young man named Slatt. Physi-
cally he was a splendid specimen of hu
manity; morally and intellectually he
was the antipodes of his physical perfec
ton. Not yet 80 he owned the finest
farm in the county, drove span of
thoroughbreds and attempted to ape /
the city boys i'll his dress, which was al
ways very loud IN color and style. But, |
''per CONTRA" he drank, smoked and |
chewed tobacco to excess and while he I
could talk of very little but himself and /
his horses, he profusely interspersed /
such talk with the coarsest of coarse /
language.
AS have said more than once, this |
not Ito mel attractive individual had |
forced his company upon me, and, al /
though when l was called upon merely |
to passively endure his society, l had
tried not to offend him, every time he
invited me to drive with him or accom-
panv linn to the village dances, had /
most decidedly refused. Ono day he /
came down to the schoolhouse. 1t was !
o'clock on O lovely afternoon in |
spring, and was about to dismiss the /
scholars.
From my desk I could see him
through the window as he hitched his |.
team, and 1 rightly guessed that I was
the object of his visit. | began TO |
summon the necessary courage to meet |
him when should leave the school, but |
/ scarcely anticipated his next move.
The door opened, and Mr.. Slatt, gor-
geous in light suit of store-clothes, set /
off by an emerald green necktie, marched /
up to my desk. He did not so much as
remove his hat, but, with q familiar
wave of the hand, said in loud voice /:
",Howdy-do, Miss Brooks? Nice day
this, amt itl Guess you won't say
mo to q spin behind my team, eha |
Most of the girls are only too anxious to |
ride in my buggy, and 1 suppose you're |
no different to the rest of 'eml"
Then, turning to the boys and girls, /
who, with ono or two exceptions, |
watched and more or less admired, |
with wide-open eyes and mouth, he |
jerked one thumb toward the door, and /
shouted
"You kids cln clear out It's time
for you to go home, anyway"
/ was astonished, but retained enough |
of my senses to countermand this rude
and unauthorized order. 1t required q
bold stroke on my part, but 1 proved
equal to the occasion.
1.-The scholars will keep their places
until school is properly dismissed" l
said. Aside, to Mr.. Slatt, l added:
'.If you wish to speak to me, kindly
take seat for few moments. When
the children are gone 1 shall be at
liberty"
With an oath, uttered under his
breath, the fellow sat down and / pro-
ceeded to dismiss the school.
When 1 thought all were gone I took
my own hat and wrap and commenced
TO move toward the door.
"Well % came in rude and sulky
voice from Slatt. ''Are you going with
me, or amt you p
"Mr. Slatt," 1 replied, with as steady
voice as my failing courage would per
NIT, ''do you think for a moment that
any lady could accept such an invitation
as you have accorded me2 No, sir.
Good afternoon"
We were then at the schoolhouse en-
trance, and, as 1 stepped forward to pass
to the road, Slatt planted himself Just
outside the doorway, and, taking my
arm with a strong grip, shook me
roughly. By this time he was in a ter
rible passion, and it was in disjointed
sentences that he shouted:
"Ahi I'm not gentleman enough for
you-you with your city style and no
tions-you would prefer not to see me
don't want to speak to me, ehl But
you shall see me-you shall speak to me
you shall"
But as he bent forward, evidently in
tending by sheer force to kiss me, fist
came between my face and his half
stunned by telling blow between the
eyes, job Slatt lay helpless upon the
ground.
Turning quickly to note my deliverer,
I beheld-Zeke Ruggles And although,
during ell the months l had been teach
ing school had looked upon him as a
boy-as poor country lad unversed in