The Ketchum keystone. [volume] (Ketchum, Idaho) 1885-1899, 1888-08-25
snEaIpAn's STRATEGY.
How, ~ Boy, the General xanUu.
vered q Schoolmaster.

cagO 1nter-Ocean, was credited i
war time to Major Lyman J. Jack
son, of the Eleventh Ohio Infantry
'sPhil Sheridan used to go t,
school at Somerset to an Irisl
school-teacher of the Irishest sort
named Patrick McNanly, who be
lieved that the intelligence, moralit,
and happiness Of scholars depended
upon the liberal use of birch ant
this deponent can verify testify tina
he was truly scientific.
One terribly cold morning of 1874:
or 1843, two of Patrick's scholars
got there a little ahead of time
They crawled in through the win
dow to get warmed, and, once in
the chief enemy of mankind and
schoolboys, as we'll as the discovery
of a bucket full of ice water, temp
ted them to trick the teacher. They
fastened the bucket of water over
the door in such a manner that the
opening of the door would tilt il
upon the head of any one entering
and retired to watch the result from
a neighboring haymow.
"Patrick soon came trotting along
rubbing his hands vigorously to
keep them warm, hurriedly turned
the key, and bolted in just as the
bucket turned over his head. It is
not a "bull" to say that his Celtic
blood was heated by the chilling
douse. His situation was a bad
one. There wasn't a boy to beat
anywhere about. He looked all
around, inside and out, and there
wasn't a soul to be seen. So he
armed himself with a six-foot hick-
ory twig, built on a rousing fire, and
sat down to dry, fully determined
to fog the first boy that entered.
An unfortunate little fellow soon
came, and almost the moment his
hand was on the latch Patrick seized
him by the collar and shook him
fercely, to shake the truth out Of
him. he said. The astonished looks
and astonishing yells convinced
Patrick that the boy knew nothing
of the outrage. Setting him down
by the fire, he again placed himself
in position of attack.
The next, and the next, and the
next went through the same opera
ton, and finally, when nearly all
the school had been throttled and
shaken into their seats, our two
youngsters climbed down the hay
NOW, entered the school room, got
their shaking, and went to work.
1t happened that Phil Sheridan was
late that morning, and as each one
proved his innocence the presump-
tion became the stronger against
the few who were left to suspect.
Finally Phil came-the last, and,
of course, the guilty one, if every
body else was innocent.
Just as he opened the door Pat
rick made a dive for him; Phil
lodged and commenced a retreat.
Patrick thought that a proof of his
guilt and pursued. Away went
Phil up the street, and away went
the teacher after him, bare-headed,
stick in hand the whole school
bringing up the rear, all on the run.
Phil lost little on the home stretch
md by the time Mr.. Sheridan's
house was reached his pursuer was
90 close to let him shut the gate,
and on he broke into the back yard.
There he got reinforcements in the
shape of a Newfoundland pet dog,
which instantly made an attack on
patrick's flank and rear.
Patrick mounted the fence-so
lid Phil. The dog snapped at Pat
'ick's heels, and he discovered it
necessary to climb an apple tree,
where he found himself out of
breath, out of patience, and very
completely outfanked.
"Take away your devilish dog,
Phil" says he, COR I'll bate the life
,ut of ye."
Like to see you,' said Phil.
Watch him, Rover and with that
le got an old piece of carpet and
aid it under the tree for the dog to
watch over.
The dog lay down on it, and Phil
the fence, where he sat
with his chin in his
lands and his elbows on his knees.
What do you want to lick me for?'
,sked Phil.
what did you throw the water
N me for?' was the answer.
i didn't throw any water on you.
You did, though, bekase none of
he boys did, and I'll polish you to
cath entirely if you don't let me
own
He started down, but Rover went
or his foot before it was nearly in
each, and the teacher retreated up !
he tree, calling loudly for Phil's
ather. The noise soon brought
dr. Sheridan out. The teacher up |
he tree, the dog growing at him,
hill on the fence, and the whole
chool around, was too funny q
Gene to be closed without expla-