The new dominion. [volume] (Morgantown, W. Va.) 1876-1904, 1889-01-05
LAISHLEY's SPELLING CLASS.
A Springhill Township Incident OF Fiji.
ty Years Ago.

II. Brown Scott in Uniontown Standard.
The late A. b. Hall, of Morris Y
Roads, used to tell good story, in
which he was principal actor. of
his sehool-day life, that might prove
interesting to the teachers of Fayette
county. Mr.. Hail was a good story
teller, and firstc class mimic, and,
although the incident am about to
relate happened over half century
ago, there are no doubt a number Of
old people in the county and else,
where who can remember it distinct
/ ly. Mr.. Hall told the story to sew
eral of us young folks not long be-
fore his death. He related it about
as follows:
when Peter T. Laishley taught
school in the old log school house
that stood on the hill above Scott's
blacksmith shop, George and Alb.
Litman, ALI. and Dick Cans, Henry
Durham, ALI. Scott, myself and a
number of other boys of our age
went to him. We were a hard lot, |
can tell you, and nearly worried the
life out Of Peter T. We were up to
all kinds of tricks imaginable, and
if half a dozen of us didn't get
thrashing every day we thought the
teacher was sick or something. And
when he whipped boy Tor a girl
either he did complete job. No
such baby whippings as the scholars
nowadays get. He used a hickory
rod six or eight feet long and as
thick as my thumb, and he had mus
Giles in his arms as hard as iron
Well, one week he hadn't whipped
any of us for a day or two, and we
concluded we were not doing our
duty by our teacher, for the old fell
low did most sincerely love to lick
scholar-he seemed to enjoy it so
well. Partly through sport and
partly for duty's sake. we laid our
heads together and concocted a
scheme whereby we could get the old
fellow on his ear. So, when books
was called after dinner, we all were
ready, and marched up to our places
in the spelling class. We used the
old United States spoilers then and
our lesson was the Authorizations.
Something had put Peter r. out of
humor during dinner time, and he
was just spelling to thrash some
body. For the first round each of
us had to have our word ready so as
to spell and define it without the
teacher announcing it. George Lit
man, believe, was at the head of
the class, and he began, brave as a
lion:
"a double p, b, applebutter."
''How's that?" says Laishley, with
stick appraised.
"A double p, b, applebutter," re-
peated George, not muscle CULVER
ing.
'I'l applebutter your shouted /
Peter T., and whack whack whackl /
went the stick more than a dozen
times over Litman's back and shout
ders, making him dance a jig at
lively step.
Next says the teacher, half out
of breath, but apparently happy,
"and if you don't answer correctly
I'll give you dose of the same kind
of medicine / have just administered
to this impertinent rascal"
IA. B., Aaron Brooks" jerked out
Henry Durham, squatting for the
blows that he knew were sure to
come, like duck lodging thunder.
and down they came like house a
fire.
'.Nextw yelled Peter T., mad as
a March hare
sd. d., Doctor Dick" squeaked
ALI. Cans; don't whip too hard,
teacher I've got on a thin coat
But Laishley didn't spare him in
the least. His blood was now up
and he made ALI roar with pain.
II forget what the rest of the
class's Authorizations were, and how
they answered them, but | know
they all stuck to their agreement,
both boys and girls, like fine fellows,
and the more Laishley whipped the
madden he got ] remember | was
at the foot of the class, and when my
turn came, the teachers stick was
worn out. IL. D.. Lord, Laishley,
DON'T | drawled out, wondering
what he would whip me with, as his
stick was gone. But | soon found
out, for the irate Peter T. hauled off
and knocked me sprawling over a
bench. with his fist, and / would as
lief have been Kicked by a horse'