Wood River times. [volume] (Hailey, Idaho) 1882-1915, 1890-06-05

not blame him. Ho had foece enough
inside Of him 70 run Steam engine. II
would have vent In some direction. But
it would not expend itself In "learning
lessons" He would work his books inc
/. mass OF dogs ears. His writing book
was ever In mourning with ink stains.
His fsce was generally inky. His Ink.
stand was generally upset. He would
hold pen as he would pichfork. lie
seemed also to give out his vitality when
he came 10 school and infect all the 9TH
ers with it. lie was not Il regular scholar:
He was sent only when it was an "off
day on his fathers "ranch." In the
scholastic sense he learned nothing.
But that hoy at the age OF 10 would
drive his fathers two horse wagon.
loaded with fruit and vegetables. lao
miles from California to Nevada over the
rough mountain roads Of the Sicrras. sell
the produce to the silver miners Of Aurora
and adjacent camps. and return safely
home. lie was obliged in placesto camp
out ut night, cook for himself. look out
Tor his stock. repair harness or wagon
and keep All eye out for sknlking Indians,
who. il not "hos.i!c." were not saints.
When it came to using the hand and the
head together lie had in him ''go,"
"gumpt;on" and executive ability. and
none Of my teaching put 1t where 1t
was in him either. lie may have grown
up unpublished" but he is one Of the
kind who are at this moment hiring
polished and scholarly men to do work
for them on very small wages.
do not despise polish" and cult
ure," but Is there not an education now
necessary which shall give the child
some clearer idea Of the manner in which
it must cope with the world in few
years? The land today is full of couture
at ten dollars a week. Culture gives
polish to the blade. But it is not the
process which makes the hard, we'll tenn.
pered steel.
The .smartcst" boy in my school gave
me even more trouble than the son of the
rancher. He could commit to memory
as much in ten minutes rs the others
could in an hour. and the balance Of the
time lie was working off the Satanism
with which he was filed. His memory
was an omnivorous NAV. 1t would lake
in anything and everything with the
smallest amount Of application. 1twou!d
have required two-thirds Of my time to
feed this voracious and mischicvous lit
tie monster with books for his memory
to dcvour.
But he was not the boy to drive team
through u wild country and dispose Of
the load in Nevada, though he could on
such trip have committed to memory
several hundred words per day on any
subject, whether he understood it or not.
My young lady pupils also gave the a
great deal of trouble. They were very
independent, and for this reason: Girls,
even OF Is. were very scarce then in the
mines: SO were women of any marriage
able age. There were ten men to one
woman The result was that anything
/ humanity feminine was very valuable.
much sought after and made much OF
by men of all ages My girls Of IS. as te
life and association. were grown up wO-
men. Young miners and middle aged,
scmi-baId headed miners, who did moi
/ realize how many Of their years had
slipped away since they came out from
the Estates" took these girls to balls and
whirled them by night over the dusty
roads OF Tuo!umne county in dusty bug.
gies.
, 1t was difficult for one lone man, and
he only schoolmastcr. to enforce dis
ciplinc with these prematurely matured
children. who had an average of two
chances a month to marry. and who
felt like any other woman their power
and influence with the other sex. Hall
Of them did have prospective HUSBAND
in some brawny pick singer, who never
went abroad without n battery Of port
able small artillery slung at his waist
and who was half jealous, half enviou
of the schoolmaster for what he consid
cred the privilege Of being in the SAM
room with his future wife six hours ,
day.
One needs to live in 4 country whcr,
there is a dearth of women to realiz.
these situations. When my school wa
dismissed ut O'Clock y. IN. all the uii
employed chivaliy Of "Jimtown" masse,
on the street corner at the Bella Uniol
saloon to SEQ this coveted bevy Of Cali
fornia rosebuds pass on their way homo
Tho Bella Union, by the way, was only 1
few yards from the church. Extreme
got very close together in these mining
camps. But the freQuenters of the Bell;
Union, who gambled all night on tn
arid green baize of the monte table, ha.
more than half paid for that churcl,
and infer. wanted it in sight 50 that nj
other persuasion should run of with it
was glad when these girls got marie,
and entered another school of life, wher
knew within years time they wer
likely to have a master.
was once "barred cut" at the close q
q summer term. This was a fashion i'm
ported from the extreme Southwestern
part Of what some call "our believe
Union" Returning from dinner foun
the doors and windows OF the universit
closed against me. Iparleycd at one Q
the windows u few feet from the ground
! was met by a delegation of the tw
biggest boys. They informed mo l coul
get in by coming out with a disburst
nlent Of $3.50. to treat the school to nut,
candies and cakes. did not acce<il
smashed the winoow and went in. Mos
Of the undergrad yates went suddcnl