The state herald., 1891-12-04
THE sCHOOLHOUsE.

ing both hands to his jaws as II with.
out that support they would inevitably
fall OF. His face was the picture OF
gloom. appropriately framed in by the
white handkerchief tied around his
head.
How do you propose to teach
school to-day, Jack?" inquired my
Uncle Peter
"And oh. Jackr' exclaimed, "you
were going TO take mo out with you
to-day"
Twas visiting Jack for the first time,
and he had promised me for that day
a private exhibition OF his pedngogic
methods and sub, ,ccts, in which mat.
ters ! took = mild interest, since |
looked forward confidently to pro.
fessorship after graduation. II not at
Harvard or Yale perhaps in Harbin-
ston Academy. Said Jack TO me,
why can't you visit the school rs
you intended. Will. but as teacherP"
Here was chance to tost my pro-
fessional possibilities The school
was two miles distant and after hasty
directions rs to my way, for / was
entirely ignorant Of the local geogra-
ply. set out with q confidence ms
high as Mt Everest while tho hand.
kerchief-muffied impostcr of cousin
waved me TO victory from the sitting
room window.
After had scudded over more thnn
a mile ] came short up against an
unfortunate difficulty-a fork in the
road.
Jack said nothing about fork In
the road" prumbled | 10 myself
Now what's to be done? must
hurry or those young ones will go
home again and miss some excellent
instruction. That would be too bad.
Stay! There is native. Can you
tell me whore the schoolhouse isp"
There's the Peacock School 'ouse
an the Benslcy School'ouse. Ones
down that away an tn other this-a-
way"
which does John Lawrence toach2"
Dunno; l b'long to the Coon Crick
distric', an dunno Has yourn 4 big
elm out In frontP"
Yea that's II Jack told me about
that"
Well. you jos follow on down that
road there till you come TO . school.
ouse . sottin' by the road. an that
there's It."
A short walk soon brought mo to
the building. ] found tho door al.
ready unlocked. but no crowd OF mis-.
chievous boys hailed my entrance. No
one was there but quiet little girl
weeping up klndling chipA
Your regular teacher will be un-
able to b with you to-day. Miss hut
will dll his place with what ability I
can command. What's your namsa"
do not think I ever saw any ono
look quite 20 surprised as that girl did
then. However, l saw nothing strange
In the matter. and repeated
Whats your nsmcs ! nm to teach
you to-day"
Alice Stanley"
How old are you. Alicoa"
Eighteen"
''Whcw!" thought / to myself, she
does't look fourtecnw
Tho desk as whole was quito IA
contrast to Jacks study-tablc at home
The last bell rang. and Alice Stan.
10y camc In. Iquictly remarked. Il
am 10 take the place Of your teacher
today. VIII some one start songe"
Calling n class. Potter Thompson
failed 10 como forward. urged him
10 no avail.
took hold OF Peters shoulder II
commands nrc not oboycd. use force.
That's my motto. Immediately Peter
gave such n yell as never hoard from
mortal lungs sprang back ns II ]
had touched on mine. Peter did not
dcsis,, but TO tho first burst succeeded
m avalanche OF blubbcrings that came
down like tho cataract Of Lodorc.
retrented In dismny and Peter halted
with strange Guddcnncss. He sulked
behind his apron. however. TIL rccess
Confronted by those FIVE infants the
query rose impcriously before my bc-
wildored mind, How In the name Of
Pestloxzi do they teach children their
lcttcrse" I took tho reader aud pointed
70 the hrst letter OF the alphabet.
What Is the nnmo OF that lcttcra'
] inquired.
They gnzed at mo in stupid amaze
mcnt
You surely know what that letter
Ia. Toll me at once" said ! severely.
Monltions Of rain In one or two eyes
Alice Stanlcy's hand goes up.
Question. Aliccf'
Please sir. teacher uses tho word
method"
Tho word mcthodp What nigh,
that bc? My course In college 30 far
had contained no information ON that
point Perhaps II WIS In tn. scientific
course To cover my confusion ]
looked Al my watch. II wns far past
rcccss timc and rang tho bell.
measured on Just Ave minutes for
tho rcccss Time was precious n tho
morning programme was 10 bc com.
plcted. Promptly nj tho expiration Of
tho tlmo ] rang tho bell. and M the
ns.onishcd company hustled bnck 10
their seats ! noticed Potor Thompson'-
place vaoant
"whcro Il Petcrf
''lio went homo crying
'Said he'd tell his ma"
Said he wnrn't goin' 10 no old
school. p" voluntoorsd u dozen volccs.
/ summoned ~ geography" This
wns = class of intermediate grade.
whose lesson for tho dny was Africa.
All wont smoothly until I began 10
talk about the animals Of Africn. tho
lions and glraircs md elephants. Up
wont n small hand.
Teacher said thcy haln't no elc.
phnnt In Africn"
lin fro,u thp burk amt that hand