Pittsburg dispatch. [volume] (Pittsburg [Pa.]) 1880-1923, 1889-02-24

"Yes, if you amt ashamed to be seen in
| such company as mine, after what old
Hawkins has told you
Suppose you allow me to forget that
Elder Hawkins ever said anything about
you? I'll agree to it if you'll never say a
word about the stories 1 told the stage
driver. Is it a bargan?'
"I'm agreed. You'll find me square il
you give me fair show
81 haven't doubt OF it, Ned. And now
/ let's get to school. There's hard dav's
work before me, and wish it were over"
The first day in a village school is the
teachers day of trial. On his conduct then
depends largely his success or failure for
the ensuing term. The pupils, fresh from
the relaxations OF vacation lie, are restless
and hard to manage. They are in no mood
for learning lessons. and if they study at all,
they study the WAYS of the new teacher
rather than their books. 1 couldn't have
been more weary if 1 had been working in a
sawmill than l was at the close of that first
session OF the Penacoskeag school under nv
charge After I dismissed the scholars
asked Ned Kingsley ii he would wait and
walk home with me. Warned evidently by
former experiences he blurted out:
Il don't know why yer want to talk to
me. 1 hain't done nothin'."
Nothing wrong, I'm sure. 1 merely
wanted your company and your advice
"My advice? Well, if that ain t too rich.
What can L tell you about your busness?"
"A good deal, if you wilf-you've been in
this school good deal longer than 1 have,
and why shouldn't your opinion be valaa-
Bile? Honestly, now, how do you think l
succeeded today"
You done fust rate" replied Ned, with
a heartiness that left no cnance for sus-
picion that the compliment was ANYTHING
but genuine. For the first time in his life,
probably, the boy had been consulted as a
person whose opinion WAS worth something.
I could see that he felr hattered.
Ny tactics won completely. / consulted
Ned Kingsley on all possible occasions, and
often found in his uncouth and Ill-expressed
opinions the very essence of common sense
We wess fishing and hunting whenever we
could, and 'he by became nv fast friend.
Moreover. he took an unusual interest in
his studies, and his progress, the evidence of
which was made mani -es. on the final ex-
animation day, was a surprise to the whole
town. Despite Elder Hawkins predic-
tions, / never found it necessary to
click. the boy or administer any hut the
mildest sort OF reproof. The last time 1
nedru lTtAD IeHdcOSkedG ne VINO once bore
the reputation of being "the worst bov in
the whole school," stood in the very fore
most rank among the worthy and respected
citizens of his town and county. 1 honestly
believe that my. giving him "a iair show"
helped toward making him what be is
But it Ned Kingsley gave me no trouble
during that term of school there was one
scholar who did. 1t was girl-rather she
had been girl once. She had long since
passed the "school age" but she Kept on
attending the school and pretending to
study. Her main object in life was to
capture husband. She had determined to
secure q schoolmaster, if possible. She
made my life miserable by waylaying me Oh
the street, stopping to talk to me after
school and becoming confidential whenever
she had hal. chance. When New Years
Day game around she actually had the
eudaeity to propose to me. told her to
wait two years for an answer. / did not
give her one at the expiration of that time
and l suppose she is waiting vet Aside
from this episode / remember little in my
Penacoskeag experience that was disagree
bic. ELIAKIM EASTMAN,