St. Landry democrat., 1888-05-19
Eyer right" agreed his comrades.

| TOtu SLOppeu ulisb Il tooh llSuG SludFl
Nv her money. Wal"
Miss" Ike began, when they reach.
ed the wagon. Were sump'n NOR n
common cowboys We're the school
board this yere deestrict."
His comrades stared in astonish.
ment
We've decided that you kin have
the school, an the term will begin to.
NOR. if
ike" called Stub. ''Yere, min
ute, will ye?'
They all rode out of earshot of the
wagon and engaged in an animated
discussion.
"Haint playin' no pranks with herr
Ike retorted, in response to the indig-
nant accusations of his comrades.
''But thar haint child twixt this an
the county line" protested Stub.
Nobody to 60 to her school, -
"Haint schools ignorunt people?''
demanded Long Ike.
Yes
"Warl, I'm yere to say that we're as
ignorant as they make 'em, an the fell
Ter that knows any thing has got to
| fight me /"
Ike" interrupted Ben. 1--WE don t
know nothin'r'
That's what we don't!" agreed his
comrades.
"Knowed we didn't" said Long Ike.
when an orphan girl with blue
eyes and a face made thin by hard
work is fooled into spendin' her little
savin's by lynn reports that teachers is
wanted out yere on the range, an
comes out yere to sorto battle with ig-
norance, wy she's a-goin to find igno-
rance!'
You betr' assented his comrades.
When they returned to the wagon
Long Ike began:
The small children out yere i1ain't
i mean the-wal, that is, we're
the children. We're goin' to school
to You ourselves. We don't know
nuthin'"
You bet we don't!' agreed the
others.
sand said Stub Tally afterward,
"blamed if didn't feel sorry for her
when she faced the idea NV teachin' us
great lummoxes!"
ME, too!'' said Sand.
Presently it was all settled, and slen-
der little Alice Hamlin was appointed
by the self-elected school board to teach
themselves in district that they them
selves had created.
'But, have never graduated in the
higher branches" the girl had pro-
tested, half tim idly. Il do know enough
to teach you any thing"
''Yes. you DOR cried Long Ike.
"Any thingyou know will be learnin'
to us. We don't know nuthin'!'
And his comrades agreed with him.
Alice Hamlin, installed as teacher of
the cowboys, became member of the
little household of Old Man Nixon,
who assisted the cook and 'pottered"
about the ranch. while his wife made
and mended for the cowboys to the
number of fifteen or twenty.
On pleasant days Alice accompanied
by MANI Nixon. kindly old soul,
would repair to the lone tree, which, on
a slight elevation, commanded view of |
the ''entire line" There while MANI
sewed and marveled at the wisdom of
the girl and the dense ignorance of the |
cowboys, Alice swayed the scepter of
learning. 1t was not long till all the
cowboys on the ranch were more or
less constant attendants at Alice's |
school, and the profound ignorance
displayed by the men who, before, had
not been considered lacking in intel
lect, was simply appalling The school |
board, in special session, decided that,
in view of the difficulty in instilling
learning into such phenomenal block
heads, the salary of the little teacher
be doubled.
By the time the school had run few
months q change had come over the |
board of directors. They were no |
longer communicative. There seemed |
continually on the mind of |
each, and they regarded each other |
with suspicion.
oval" remarked Long Ike. COM
with himself. "reckon l know
what's the matter with the boys, an
hanged if / blame EN-! Prairie air,
good cookin' an light work has done
for her. an if thar's any pref
tier girl 'twfxt this an anywhere, I'd
like mighty well to see her. Ike, if
you was on'y-wal, you hahn an that
settles it. Ike, yer an old fool; that's
what you ART
wal" he resumed. after a pause,
'Tll jest take this matter by the tail,
80 to speak, an pull hit into shape.
Ike, you ole fool, you're old enough to
wish the best man luck, an not kick
because you CANT git the prize''
Later, at Long Ike's call, the board
If directors met on business connected
with the school mistress. but not with
he school.
Boys" Ike began, abruptly, ''thar's
\ Teller that don't like the way the
school runnin'. Wants
Who's the cuss?" cried the others,