The Anaconda standard. [volume] (Anaconda, Mont.) 1889-1970, 1889-11-20
CARLYLE As A scHoolMAsreR.

SAWIVlc 40 -
wss S.as 81 The ls.y. WIZ nr.~shs I.
Doakey Hneo thO 1choSa-nSom.
fr0m the ~. James Gazette.
A writer I'm the SsoksNsan has unearthed
an amusing anecslote of Thomas Carlyle
as a country ''dominie," for the accuracy
Of which he vouches. IL was told in ls63
ny u Cupar Fife lawyer and provost who
had been one OF Carlyle's pupils al Kirk
caldy. to the writer and Hugh Miller. The
interest OF this Rcntleman's resniniscences
of his old schOolmaster was heightened
Ivy his utter unconsclousness that his old
dominic was the Thomas Carlyle who was
beginning tn he known to fame. The old
gentleman described the older race of
Scottish s-chOolniasters as Always during
school hours wearing their hats-at least
keeping their heads covered; and many
Of the boys, viewing the peculiar angle at
which the hat stool upon the head. and
how near u came tn the eyebrows, could
conjecture II tire savage mood wers. to be
thatttiay predominant.
strict and gloomy disciplinarian with the
name of tariylc, never wore his hat in the.
school and, indeed, his brow WAS so over
hung with dark threatening, and his large,
growing eyes constantly shot forth wrath,
while his p~rotrndin9 chin was laden with
.s1 wa tnas no Extra Extra sHprS ,% to alarm ,,,
not thrash us often or severely, but we had
a fear that, IL provoked, he would GO great
mere scowi hush AT once the whole school.
The biggest and oldest boys specially
lrcaded his Rrins and his knocking words.
How savagely his teeth were wont 10 grind
out tho terms Ounce or 'b~lockhead'!'
Hugh Miller here ~interposed by asking:
laugh aI y im %%lss eve. .Th nar- !. 'a an o q rsr ",m.s.
tioii,'' returned the provost. .why do You
but now that I remcInher, he had
us all stare. 1t had IL train Of queer
chucklinH, which exploded in a Succession
of loud and deep outlaws that shook his
ylnxsIa HAI ANIL N.a a1 Il, a.xHI.
like the keys of u piano. He then ciapped
his hands on the book he held against his
Knees I'm y., one OF ns , syer knew at Mha,
reproving pupils, and IL habit of tapping
their heads with his knucklcs as ne told
them that the heads would never he worth
the price of hats, or the charge of "a bar
her, though InaInnlas and alints had that
morning coml<sl, kissed and blessed them
in pious wondCr-as III they were teeming
with the subliIncst inventions and signs!'
The Provost saw that Hugh Miller and
s som r.. other s.Ts,S wsr 1r, listening eagerly.
minutes before the school hour, when
most Of the pupils had arrived, and-as
school, a donkey. which had broken loose
from it's tcthsr on u grassy spot near, was
entering the playground. Hill Hood and
was ss a st stout and fr"iicsaSic iad-ahe r M"S
leader I'm many sports and tricks-rushcd
to mount the animal, and began 7" guide
carry it's rider over the threshold; and
what "a reception both of them got
from the Juvenile crowds! Bags of books
were at once fastened to the tail and
around the neck of the ass; and so busy
were bill aud half n dozen companions ia
urging the brute to cantcr round the school
and tn ascend the short stair of the mas
ter's desk, that they did not notice how
time was speeding and before they could
remove the stranger, MR. Carlyle appeared.
We expected "a tremendous explosion of
wrath, but he burst into IL roar OF laugh
ter-such u roar, however, as, instead of
tempting us to- join i'm il, produced "a sud-
den and complete hush, and that roar vas
renewed again and again when the ASS.
withdrawing its forefeet from the first
step of the desk stair and turning round,
took n pace or two slowly toward. the
master as il to salute him. That ex-
claimed Carlyle. lis the wiscst and best
scholar Kirkcaldy has sent me; he il fit to
he your teacher He tapped the ~d"nkey's
head as he was wont to do ours. and said,
There's something here, far more than in
the skulls of any of his brethren before
me, though these skulls are pattssd i'm fond
though that far grandcr head-picce meets
only with mcrciless blows He then gave
some hard taps ON Bill Hoods head, and
would not allow him to disInotnt, but,
for IA penalty, ordered him tai ride up and
down the school for Nh hour. while those
boys who had been most active i'm help
march in pairs before and behind the per-
plcxcd-looking ASS. He did not require
the other scholars tn attend to their sever
al lessons, but silently %perrmit,.d them to
cession. Then he himself. seated within
his pulpit-like desk. surveyed Bill and his
with IL strange mixture OF mirth.
ss'orn. and fury. have not for years
thought of this scene," continued the Pro
vost. but il has rome back to me reshly.
and I remember that my old master had N
come of him, nor, indeed, have / heard of
him since l left kirkcaldy q