Sturgis advertiser. (Sturgis, Dakota [S.D.]) 1887-1???, 1888-04-18
WEED BLADES.

One day. after having experimentes
with quite number Of pcallings. = Il,
cludiugsa mild attempt III the pulpit
he heHrd TINT = school teacher wa
greatly needed In far removed dis
trict, known rs s.Panter Walk III,
had begun .ne study Of veterinary sur
gerry. bit not being very muck taker
Win the profession, he decided to 90 Il
Snce to PAINTER Walk" and begin tAs
much needed course of instruction. Ar
irving. he found small log schoo
house sparscly supplied with benches
Inc farmers whom he consultc,kaureed
that scnool was the very thing the,
needed, but That no one could expect
much .'of a shown till arter the crops
was; laid by.'s This was certainly dis.
couraging, but~s young Hayloid had
nothing else In view. he decided I'd
stay and take his. chances. When
school opened. only two scholars,
madcs their appearance, the family
property of old Jim Socklaster. One
was ''ganglingn boy, whose awk-
ward form and recklessncss of gait had
won him tho appcllation of ..Windin'
Blades. The girl, tall and with dis
RSoASSA ~ AoAHPs NSS 1utucE 2OOu-
looking, and wore around her hair 4
blue iibbon-silken streak OF ciYil;za-
ton.
AND what is your namea" asked
the teacher. as &
''rhcy call me Weed. SIR" sho said.
why did they give you such a
name?n
''Cause she growed so fast" inter-
posed Windin' Blades.
As no other pupils came, Hayloid
decided to go ahead regardless of num-
bers. 1t was with some trouble that
tho two students could be classified.
Windin' Blades had only ono book, q
tattered copy of Paradise Lost" of
which he could not read line, and
Wecd1hat brought work treating Of
agriculture among the ancient Egyp-
fians.
Whore did you get these booksP'
asked the teacher.
"A1tramp give 'em to us for jug of
buttcrmilk. !" replied Windin' Blades.
"Can your father readp"
'.He can read little books, but he
can't read one as big as this one.''
Your mother can doubtless readp"
turning TO the girl.
.'She can't read now, but she lister
could.'r @
why can't she read nowp"
Because the book she learned to
read is dun lost. Here comes pap.'
Old man Socklaster entered, nodded
and said:
''Mornin' to you, mornin', sir. Got
SOrter Slim r1rosneek -
Yes, the children don't appear to be
coming very fast"
Old Socklastcr was not disappointed
Mt the slim prospeck." In fact he
was rather pleased to note what en-
couragement, beyond his neighbors,
he was giving to the cause of educa-
ton. 81
II reckin' you're goin' to go right
on with the undertaken jes' the same
as il you had whole passed. of
scholarsP"
Eyes" said Hayloid. Il came here
to teach, and SO long as I can secure
the attendance of single pupil, shall
continue to make my efforts in behalf
of learning" ..
Glad to know it. You're the only
this community for some time"
by the way, Mr.. Socklaster, these
books which your children have been
provided with are by no means APP
propriate."
What the matter with 'sm. ''''s ]
"One treats of agriculture several
thousand years ago. telling of wooden
plows and OK threshing machines, the
other is book which only advanced
students can read and understand
avail, the Teller we got 'em of said
they was good books. and he's an older
man than you are. Better let 'em wor-
ry along with them books awhile, an
arter they We dun learnt all there is in
'en, wy then I'll git some better ones.
Good day. Wush you mighty well with
your undertakin'." W.
Fortunately Hayloid had brought
few books for beginners. He had no
trouble in effecting an exchange, for
the bright pictures at once settled the
question OF their worth. Windin' Blade
and Weed had scarcely explored the
mysteries Of the alphabet, but they
proved to be attentive. and evinced
such desire to learn that Hayloid did
not regret having commenced with
''such slim prospecks."
The teacher boarded in quiet FAM
lily. where the sunlight that a little
child brings is unknown, where deaf
old man and knitting old woman sat
down nightly to the exploration of
their own thoughts. All that .Hayloid
could get out of the old man was shah
with one hand behind his ear-and as
the old lady seemed to drop stitch
every time he addressed. her, she was
allowed to pursue an uninterrupted
course of self investigation.
Windin' Blades and Weed, day by
day, continued to be the only pupils.
Corn was '.laid by" and farmers boys
had no particular work to perform, yet |
the census of the school remained the |
same. To watch the development of
Weeds mind was an interesting study. |
She was remarkably bright, and learn
ed with readiness which surprised |
Hayloid. Windin' Blades was, after |
all inclined to be idle. He had pas
sion for carrying grasshoppers in his
pockets. These insects occupied his,
entire time on tho playground, and at |
last, after much experiment, be sue
ceedcd in Harvesting them to a dimin- |
utive wagon which he had constructed. |
The teacher reconstructed with him |
concerning this useless absorption, and |
once he spoke to his father. but the old
man instead Of being displeased smiled
until the tobacco juice ran out of the
-ornars If his p1aufh