The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1888-11-18

q eSSing himself TO space, he cried out,
''Crethy M'Kinthry likth teacher" and
instantly vanished.
Putting these incidents sternly aside the
master addressed himself to the task of set
ting few copies for the next day as the
voices of his departing flock faded from the
porch. Presently silence fell upon the
little school house. Through the open door
a cool reStful breath stole gently as if ma
ture were again stealthily taking possession
of her own. A squirrel boldly came across
the porch. few Jwittering birds charging
in, stopped, beat the air hesitatingly for
moment vita their wings, and fell back
with bashfully protesting breasts aslant
against the open door ana the unlooked-for
spectacle of the silent occupant. Then there
was another movement Of intrusion, but
this time human, and the master looked up
angrily to behold ncle Ben.
He entered with n slow. exasperating
step, lifting his large boots very high and
putting them down again softly as if he
were afraid of some Insecurity III the floor,
or fguratively recognized the fact that the
pathways OF knowledge were thorny and
difficult. Reaching the masters desk and
the mlnistering presence above 1t he stopped
awkwardly, aud with the rim of his soft
felt hat endaavored to wipe from his face
the meek smile it had worn when he e.
tered. 1t CHANGED also that he halted before
the minute stool of the infant Filgee and
his large figure instantly assumed such
Brobdignagian proportions in contrast that
he became more embarrassed than ever.
The master made no attempt to relieve
him, but regarded him with cold interroga-
ton.
81 reckoned. he began, leaning ore hand
on the masters desk with affected ease, as he
busted his leg with his hat with the other, II
reckoned--that isl allowed crter say
that I'd find We alone at this time. We
gin'rally are, We know. It's nice, soothi ,
restful, stcodious time, when man kin, so
to speak, run back on his eddicatiou and
think of all he ever knowed. Ye're jist
like me, and we see l sorter spotted your
ways to onct."
Then why did you come here this morn
ing and disturb the school?o demanded the
master, sharply.
That's SO. sorter slipped up thar. didu't
IL said Uncle Ben, with a smile of rueful
assent. You see | didn't allow to come in
then, but only to hang round leetie and
kinder get used to 1t, and it TO me-"
USED to what" said the master, impa-
tiently, albeit with slight soft ening at his
intruder's penitent expression.
Uncle Ben did not reply Immediately but
looked round as if for sent, tried one or
two benches and "a desk with his large hand
as if testing their security, and finally
abandoning the idea as dangerous, seated
himself ON the raised platform beside the
masters chair, having previously busted it
with the nap Of his hat. Finding, however,
that the attitude was not conducive to ex-
PLANTATION, he rose again and picking up one
of the school books from the masters
desk eyed it unskillfully upside down, and
then said hesitatingly:
81 reckon we amt usin' Dobell's 'Rithme-
tic here!n
NO" said the master.
That's bad. Pears to be played out
that Dobell Teller. | was brought up on
Dobell And Parsing's Gram mar! Ye don't
seem to be using Parsing's Grammar
eitherl"
mo" said the master, releating still
more, as he glanced at Uncle Ben perplexed
face with Il FAINT smile.
And | reckon you'd be saying the same
of Jones' 'stronomy and algebry' things hev
changed. You've got all the new style
here he continued, with Affected careless
ness but studiolsly avoiding the masters
eye. For man ez wos brought up on
Parsing'S Dobell and Jones tnar don't ap
pear to be much show nowadays"
The master did not reply. Observing sew
eral shades of color chase each other on
Uncle Ben's face, he bent his own gravely
over his book. The act appeared to relieve
his companion, who, with his eTes still
turned toward the window, went on;
''Ef you'ld had them books-which you
haven't had it in my mind to ask you
suthen. | had an idea of-of-sort of re-
viewing my eddication. Kinder going over
the old books agin-jist to pass the time
Sorter running in yer arter school hours and
dom a little pracusin', eh: Y ou looking on
me as an extra scholar-end payIn' ye as
sich--but keepin' it 'twiXt ourselves, you
know-just fol pastime, chg
AS the latter snIlngly raised his head, he
became suddenly and ostentatiously at
tracted to the window.
Then jay birds out there is mighty
peart coming right up to the school
house! l reckon they think it sort o
restful too"
"But if you really mean it, couldn't you
use these books, Uncle Benz said the mas
ter, cheerfully. Il dare say there's little
difference-the principle is the same, you
know
Uncle Ben's face which had suddenly
frightened as suddenly fell. He took the
book from the masters hand without meet
ing his eyes, held it at arms length, turned
it over, and then laid it softly down upon
the desk as if it we're some excessively fra
gile article.
''Certingly,n he murmured, with assumed
reflective ease. "Certingly. The principles
all there.
Nevertheless he was quite breathless and
few beads of perspiratlon stood out upon
his smooth, blank forehead.
'And as to writing, for instance" con-
tinued the master with increasing hearth
ness as he took notice of these phenomena
''you know any copy book will do"
He handed his pen carelessly to Uncle
Ben. The large hand that took it tirnidly
not only trembled but grasped it with sucn
fatal and hopeless unfamiliarity that the
master was fain to walk to the window and
observe the birds also.
''There're mighty bold-them lays" said
Uncle Ben, laying down the pen with
scrupulous exactitude beside the book and
gazing at his fingers as if he had achieved
a miracle of delicate manipulation. They
don't seem to be afeared of nothing, do
theyP'
There was another pause. The master
suddenly turned from the window.
AZ tell you what. Uncle Benz he said,
with prompt decision and mistaken gravity,
''the only thing for you to do is to just
throw over Dobell and Parsons and Jones
and the old quill pen that / see you're &C
customed to, and start in fresh as if you'd
never known them. Forget 'em all, you
know. 1t will be mighty hard Of course to
do that" he continued, looking out of the
window, ''but you must do it,"
He turned back, the brightness that
TRANSPORTED Uncle Ben's face at that mo-
ment brought a slight moisture into his own
eyes, The humble seeker of knowledge said
hurriedly that he would try.
"And begin again at the beginning" con-
tinued the master, cheerfhly, Exactly like
one of those-in fact, as if you really were
n child eroiu -