Sacramento daily record-union. [volume] (Sacramento [Calif.]) 1875-1891, 1890-04-27

felonged 10 miSchleVouS lad, trow
You knew him, 1t was little Joe.
Joe Harper, the merriest lad in town,
| Or country side for miles around,
| And he led the master merry dance;
| No fear had he of that awesome glance
Whose too gratuitous distribution
Threw the rest of us into such confusion,
When l shut my eyes l can see it now
| In the second seat in the second row.
| That round head, glistening over with curls
| The admiration OF all the girls,
| For Joe was only turned eleven,
| And looked like cherub dropped from Heaven
I well remember one sunny day
When three select men and Parson Grey
ON trip OF inspection came to school,
Bristilug with questions, figures and rule.
| Not one of them noticed little Joe
Looking so wise and quiet too
School was called and with stiffast bow
AT anged precisely. all in row,
The boys their company manners" made
The girls dropped curtseys sedate and staid;
But Joe Just pulled the sunny curls
On his forehead white, and winked at the girls
y. You could mischief see in his twinkling eye,
something would come of it by and by''
IL showed in the very turn of the head
mat always most of our mischief led
| ! thought to myself, as saw him look
AT the Pars9n over the top of his book.
Now Nathaniel Grey was man who knew
More than parson Ger knew before.
he was wiling to tell you all about it too,
Provided you did not vote him q bore
And let him relate to Parson Grey
Anything further he had to say.
| 1t was softly whispered by some in town
No one could say exactly who
That, though possessed by some renown,
ms style for our people was quite too new
And, although fluent speaker in class
Still Parson Grey was-"such an ass p
| It finally reached the district school
Where ne but little favor ho,e
Foe neither birch limb nor ferule
Had succeeded in squelchipg the class before
When Ben Hatch some remark on the parsor
made,
And illustrating drew donkey's head
Looking with grimace from reading desk,
With ears enormously over-drawnl
The slate was passed to all the rest
iii the scholars, always ready for fun,
Burst into laugh that the rafters shook
Not needing the masters Scorching look.
But that bad passed with the winter term
And now the paTson with heavy tread
And look which he meant TO be very firm
With the three select men, marched to the head
Or the school room and near the window sat-
And near by on STOOL he placed his hat.
Arranged in rows on either side
The class in spelling had been spelled out"
Miranda Smart, as usual, cried
When missing she took her place at the foot
Inc boys on the seats along the wall
Ha1 forcibly fred paper Dall-
Which wad of paper misaimed, had flown
AND struck Ieacon Weatherbees bald old
crown,
But no one knew whence the missile came,
Though he deacon stormed and the girls cried
shane "
As innocent all as a flock of rocks,
All deeply engaged on their copy books.
But the crownipg event of the day took place
When the master announced that Parson Grey
Would address the schooi. His sternest face
/ or our benefit he that daV.
But who could tell what Joe was thinking
As he sat with blue eyes all blinking?
With hem" and "haw'' to his feet he rose
And stepped to the front before US ALL
FROM the crown of his head to his very toes
A man with soul both mean and small
SIX feet of man to one inch of soul
Never II count for much on the heavenly scroll
my little man. he growled at last,
To the smallest boy on the foremost bench
And round the room his eyes he cast
As If a mutiny to quench,
Tell me; speak up now If you can
Tell me correctly who l am
With open mouth and staring ewes
In terror far too grsat for speech,
Tnis babe of boyhood loudly cries
In haste the open door to reach
Where safe from fear of Parson Grey.
He gives himself holiday.
Chagrined at this result in truth
And much put out with little SAM
Again referring to his cloth,
He asks Who'll tell us what ann
But ere the class one word could say,
Long, loud and ear mighty bray
Resounded through the startled room
Like no hing less than crack of doom.
hush like death fell DER the school
As, red with anger, Parson Grey
Snatehed his hat from off the STOOL
Hurriedly beat his homeward way,
Then smothered laugh fell on the ear
That small reinsurance gave fear.
The master angrily searched the place;
The scholars assisted with vim,
Each one was eager in the race
The first approving word to win.
In less than a moment each one knew
From what strange source that long note blew
Tied meath the open window, stood
A hungry and disguised Jack,
VINO thus deprived of drink or food,
Had keen reminders of the lack,
And anxious, called to be released
As pangs OF hunger fast increased.
Whose hand had tied the hungry brute
With keen afOresight tethered here
Just where mis- loud and long-drawn note
Should greet the parsons startled ear?
Not one among them seemed to know
The master frantic what to do.
Joe said, with fun in every line
And curve, about his rosy mouth,
Il have not seen single sign
Of boys around. and that's the truth"
And could the rogue himself behold.
Surely he'd not a falsehood told
The master threatened, stormed and tore
And shook his ferlile back and FORTH
Ii none confessed he soundly swore
The class should feel the ferule's worth.
The three select men finally
Agreed TO drop it quietly.
'Twouid sound so badly noised about
That Parson Grey'd been put to rout
And from the school house driven home
By that brave solitary tone.
Some would declare 1t served him well;
What all would say no one could tell.
But after all, it would leak out,
Twas all the town could talk about.
Then some one said that Parson Grey
@ iits suddenly was called away.
A brother sick twas understood,
But his departure proved "for good"
Long years of care have furrowed deep
The lines of trouble on my face;
And in their last and longest sleep,
Many have found a resting place.
Schoolmates and friends of long ago
Have slept for years beneath the snow.
And Joe? All yes his laughing eyes
And sunny curls for fifty years
Have fairer grown In Paradise,
Even now my eyes grow wet with tears.
Dear merry hearted little lad
His loving heart was always glad.
Yes. fifty years have passed since then;
We have grown old and grey my friend.
Our school days are the Golden time"
Sacred TO poetry and rhyme;
And things long past the different rule
and customs, of the District school"
DORA BURNS.
Sacramento, April %. 1899.