New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1891-12-06
An OLD TINE SCHOOLMASTER.

ONE EYE on THE SCHOLARS AND THE OTHER
on RUNWAY WHERE DEER sCAMPEEED
Mount PocOno. Penn. Nov. 14.-Nicholas Church.
one of the Oldest hunters in the PoconO Mountains said
to the writer the other day Sixtysix years ago this
wintr went to school 10 Alexander Dunbar in little
LOG schOohouse down in the POconO Valley near where
Tannersvle is. An odd character Dunbar was.
He stood six feet in his socks he was lean ms n
crane and he could run like deer. He always kept
loaded rifle standing by his chair in the school house.
A few wards up the road there runway where
deer crossed the creek During school hours Dunbar
always seemed TO have eye on the runway. lie
crazy for hunting and whenever he saw a deer
dash across the road heard hound having in the
woods he appeared to forget all about his school for the
time being without saving a word 10 any Of the
scholars. he would grab his rifle. rush out OF the house
bareheaded. and away he'd go after the deer. like
Indian. sometimes would him coming back in
less than hour with buck doe slung over his
shoulder and then again maybe we wouldn't any
thing Of him till the next morning Dunbar always
got deer II he had to stay on the trail till dark.
While lie off on one of his exciting hunts the
children generally stayed in the little log house and had
great play spell When it was time 10 60 home, il
Dunbar didn't make his appearance dismissed our
selves. After while of the parents found out
how Dunbar neglecting his school, and they hauled
him over the Goals for il. But they couldn't break
Dunbar of his mania for chasing deer Nothing could
and after that Dunbar told of the big bows to take
charge OF the school when he dashed out with his gun
One day Dunbar had terrible fight with wounded
buck Pocono Creek. He came within an ace Of
losing his life. but he Just to chase deer
after that he was before I'll show you what kept
Dunbar from being killed." continued Mr.. Church. and
he brought old bent and rusty rife barrel that
had sent bullets flying after game from flint
lock- "DunbaTs gun out of kllter." resumed the
old hunter and took this rifle TO the schOOlhouse
for him 10 1t belonged 10 my father. and Dunbar
got chance to use it before night. That afternoon
he buck trot down the runway. and he seized
the rifle and gave chase. The buck was taking it
easy and the long legged scloomaster banged
at him near the creek. The buck plunged forward and
poughed in the snow. and Dunbar ran up to cut his
throat. Just Dunbar got TO him the buck reused
up and pitched at him savagely. lie had been shot
through the nose. and he full Of fight
wounded panther. There was charge in the rifle.
and Dunbar dropped his knife and went 10 beating the
angry buck, of with the He soon broke the stock
and then he fought the buck with the barrel bending
II in the fight you see it now. Every time the buck
pitched at him Dunbar knocked spike from his
antlers and when it all over Dunbar had trimmed
every spike from his horns lie finally stunned the
buck long enough TO cut his throat and when he lugged
the buck TO the school-house he the ragsedest
schOolmaser ever saw for the game animal had torn
his homespun suit into strips with his sharp hoOfs
Dunbar declared that he enjoyed the fight and was
ready for another Of the same sort.
Every other Saturday there no school. and
Dunbar took the whole day for hunting. lie got in
the habit Of coaxlng tame buck that belonged to my
folks to follow him into the woods when he went after
deer. The buck got that he was tickled to 20
with the schOOlmaster and before long he formed Che
habit Of wandering from Dunbar. making friends
with wild deer and leading them around where Dunbar
could get shots at them. Dunbar thought the trick
was very cunning and did we boys but nv father
didn't think So When he found ont what Dunbar was
doing with the buck he put stop the fun by fasten
ing the buck in pen whenever Dunbar had holiday.
While think about il I'll tell Won what an ingenious
way Dunbar had TO stop whispering in the school, lie
had n warn ball. and every time he caught one OF us
whispering he threw the ball at the whisperer. hitting
him or her. The scholar that hit had to stand In
the middle OF the with the ball and throw II al
the first one he caught whispering. and so on all day
We all liked the way Dunbar tried 10 keep still school
Wolves were thick In the POcOnO Mountains at that
time One moonlight night that winter Joshua PIndars
old horse wandered into the woods AT e 1901 OF uco9
Knob where "a pack of wolves p0unced on MIN ana
nulled him down. The night was cold. ana we c9nlo
Ssar the old horse screaming and the wolves hOHIlng
~ our house Dunbar there, and the noise OF the
wolves made him fiery He couldn't stand the racket
and against the advice OF my father he oaaed inee
,Ises and made for the spot where the wolves were
hnvIing We expected nc would be killed; but he
bnevy what he was about. When he got sight OF tine
Wives they were tearing mt the old horse which they
od Killed There seven In the PACK. ana DUNBAR
shoe them all before he gave up s,u, hunting deer
lao tracked n She bear into Black swamp away M bach
Of Canadensis She was in her nest whe ne pot LILY
. now before he had time 70 throw M his rne The
I'D lear snoled another suit for him and lamed MN ior
treo weeks Int he finally chOked her 70 death DN
tsnwine hts cnn barrel down her throat half WaV 10
The trigger Tie bear had been living vel. ior Wheii
Dunbar dug into her nest ne lou p5 iIIad more
than thirty deer that winter IN lhe splnS NC 49,
To his home In New-Jersey ana nave never So" ''"'
since"