Savannah courier. (Savannah, Tenn.) 1885-1979, 1889-02-28
EARNING AN EDUCATION.

Gl lt4Nl1NO AN UDOOh llOlNs
How Mark Triumphed and Made
His School a Success.
When Mark Jasper was asophomore
In New England college he used to
look forward with much pleasant
anticipation to the day of his gradua-
tion. After that he would be on his
own hook, and he could set to work to
make his fortune. AS long as he
could remember he had always been
anxious to be engaged in that under
taking. But it happened quite unex-
pectedly one day while he was still a
sophomore that Marks father died
and he was left without money. He
sat before the fire with his chum, Joe
Travis, several evenings, wondering
what he could do.
"It's all up with me-" he said, de-
jected, II can't graduate with the
class"
Borrow money, old fellow" Joe
insisted. Get your life insured and
give the policy as security"
There isn't a soul who will lend
me a dollar. l have got to give up
and go home"
turned out, however, that instead
OF going home, Mark set off one De-
cember morning resolved to teach a
district school during the winter on
one Of the islands along the Maine
coast. Probably l haven't got muscle
enough to keep ORDER" he admitted;
"but / am going to try it at any rate. y
He was small and slender; the school
was reported TO be difficult to manage,
and the undertaking he knew was moi
a trifling one. While being whirled
along in the cars all of the morning
and part of the afternoon he had plenty
of leisure time to think of it, worry
over it, and wonder what sort of q
place the island would prove to be-
First was the journey in the cars
seventy miles or more, then u long
ride in an old rattlebox stage over 9
rough, frozen road, and finally trans
fer to a wheezy little steamboat which
carried him away from the mainland
about dark. When he saw the lights
begin to disappear behind he felt as
though he was taking leave of all the
world, and he fastened down to the
miniature cabin homesick and gloomy
enough.
But there happened to be in this
smoky little place an odd-looking
jovial, sea-faring old man who before
many minutes put Marks melancholy
to flight
wal, yes, now, you see, that's just
the way it was" he was saying in {
smorous voice to three burly fisher
men when Mark caught sight of him
"Those pesky crabs climb up the rig
gin, to the cross-tree and sot down fol
the rest of the voyage"
"Oh, no, now, you don't mean it
Uncle Seth, said one of the listeners
breaking into a loud laugh,
"Yes do" the old man declared
"yes do"
He was sitting under the glimmer o
lantern, and Mark could see that h
had broad, weather-beaten fac
fringed with short white beard. H
wore tarpaulin hat, loose pea-jack
ct, and he had wooden leg which h
rested across a stool. The sailor
yarn he had begun to spin he went o.
with, protesting now and then tina
every word of it was the honest truth
and Mark was so amused by the nara
tive that he soon joined the fisherme
in laughing heartily. Indeed, the ea
traordinary adventures of those crab
were worth remembering. The ma
who could tell story so we'll was
pleasant one to meet; and Mark wa
much pleased, when he arrived at tn
island and inquired for the schot
agent, to discover that the old man wa
the identical person.
"Sure's you live I'm the man,"
said "Hooker-Uncle Seth Hooke
that's who am; and I'm the keept
of the Point Light over yonder. Gait
or up your traps and come right pve
for | reckon you'll board along wit
me- Most of the teachers has"
Mark swung his heavy carpet-bs
over his shoulder and started off wi,
him across rough, stony field in Il
direction of the lighthouse, whis
was plainly visible every time its r
vclving light flashed toward them. I
WAS going to see something lit
strange at any rate, he thought, rath
pleased with the expectation of ne
experience.
Il suppose you expected me to-da
Mr.. Hooker?" he asked, when tn
had picked their way along in silen
few moments
"Wal. yes, now | come to think
il We did" the old man answert
"But reckoned you'd be bigger, y
see. and didn't notice you much
the boat Ever been down m the
parts afore?"