Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1891-12-05

l SfSot ocEfevement Nnscn secured
| Tor the United States that immense country
now comprised within the boundaries OF six
| states.
After most illustrious career the chancellor
| expired In February, 1873, At his seat at Cler-
| mont. and the family vault as before men,
| toned. now contains his dust.
In 1876 an American lady residing in France
presented to the New York Historical Society
portrait Of the chancellor, painted by John
| Nanderiyn, famous American painter. who
| had been assisted in his struggling days BIZ
Aaron Burr. On this occasion Mr.. Frederick
| de Peyster reviewed before an enthusiastic
meeting Of the society the history of the sub
ject
sMIFFKINs AS A PEDAGoGUk.
How He Tried his Hand At Teaching school.
With Only Moderate Success.
| esPUNNING AWAY FROM HOME DOESN'T
AU pay" said Smifkins the other night at
the Platypus Club. Il tried it when was
nineteen years old. NY father had two or three
ponds in the neigbborhood dragged the day
after l disappeared, and subsequently he
charged the expense Of that operation against
me In settling up for few hundreds Of dollars
that were due me on coming Of age. Within n
week aftor my departure papa got letter from
me announcing that was in q certain big city
and had accepted the position Of teacher Of
Greek and Latin in . well-kaown fashionable
| school
THAT was all true enough 50 far ~ IL went
However, my place was only that Of assistant
| instructor. and. besides elsvat,ng the youthful
mind to familiarity with the dead languages.
was burdened with multiferious duties such
- belong ordinarily to an usher in boarding
school for boys In fact my situation was rela-
| lively very much like that Of Nicholas Niekleby
in the educational establishment presided over
by Mr. Squeers. 1 was obliged 70 see to bed
every night two dormitories full Of youngsters
and was esponsible for the thoroughness with
| which they washed their faces in tie morning
From to Am. each week day had to COM
pei tho pupils under my charge TO study Bible
| verses which afford instructive recreation to
the adolescent intellect before breakfast. On
| Sundays conducted Q division of them to
| church. where 1t was my task to zee that they
did not smbezzle the nickels given them for
| the plate.
| when draw o comparison between Dothe-
boys Hall and the superb and celebrated school
| for boys in which was employed il is not
| without some reason. Parents would be more
| reluctant to send their children to boarding
school IL hey knew what distresses and even
| fortunes have sometimes to be undergone by
| them. But their complaints, even when made
| are seldom listened to with seriousness. beg
you to remember that / am speaking OF one OF
| the most famous and successful instructors Of
youth when I say that he was man Of 30 brutal
| and almost Iendsh a temper as to be utterly
unfit to have charge and control OF children.
| On the top foor Of the school baiiding was
small iron room built like q safe, in which be
would place refractory pupils for hours to-
gether in solitary confinement. Grown persons
| have often been known to 60 insane in conse-
querce Of such an experience
Il can say that was an unqualified success
| as q teacher. 1t was my misfortune that my
own studies at school and college had been
sadly neglected, and, although could trans
| late Latin and Greek with . fair degree OF ease
and accuracy, the grammars of those languages
| were not very familiar to me, and at prose
composition 1 stuck hopelessly. Although I
thoughtfully provided myself at the start with
| cribs to 60 with the text books, which care
fully concealed from the boys in my desk, the
teacher of classics whose subordinate I was
| soon caught on 10 my Incompetence. Another
thing against me was my pupils were rather in
ciined to regard me a. one Of themselves. some
truth, sympathized much more with their
view Of school, regarding it as a beast Of bore,
| than with the pedagogic idea In short per.
ceived that would not last indefinitely.
| 1T seemed to me an injustice that the boys
should be compelled to 60 to bed at O'Clock
when they were not sleepy. So in the dormi-
tories under my charge We organized various
games and larks after the rest OF the establish
ment had retired. Tag was too noisy sport,
but some more quiet enjoyments we're per-
l u
fascinated audiences of night-gowned listeners.
Once there was an alarm and hid unthinkiugly
| under bed. It occurred to me afterward that
| it would Lave been difficult for me to explain
the situation with dignity il had been caught
Zone night, 1t being some special occasion
| appropriate for festivity, announced that
would give q bum This meant feast, and
notice Of it being passed around was received
with unanimous approval. After the matron
had tucked the little boys in bed and lights
/ mi cd r.
front door with my latch key. Two blocks
away there was q confectioner's and there
supplied myself with large quantity of ice
cream, cakes and candies. With this provender
| ! returned to the school.
II found my youthful charges impatiently
waiting. They got up quietly, the gas being
lighted again, and Hooked about the long
handicapped washstand, upon which the
goodies were spread out attrsctively, Not q
thought Of interruption occurred to US. be-
cause my dorn,itoriss we're on the fifth door
and far from any other instructors sleeping
quarters.
1.-THE edibles were nearly all consumed. amid
much merriment. when q footstep was heard
upon the stairs outside. Every ear Mt once be-
came erect The footstep approached along
the hall; it was recognized only too well as
| that OF the principal. With one accord my
charges fled to their beds and covered them
selves up in attitudes Of profound slumber.
Ny first inclination was to do the same. but
felt that it would hardly work, considering the
debris Of tho feast which lay scattered about
Therefore. checked my fingers on the gas
key and put my hands in my pockets, trying to
look as calm as possible.
''The schoolmaster opened the door slowly
and looked in. As he surveyed the scene Of
dissipation, in the midst of which stood a SOL
itary figure Of guilt, every bed being occupied
bys Numbering innocent, an expression Of
horror overspread his countenance. Pointing
at me trembling finger Of scorn he said:
DO you call yourself teacher. sir?
II didn't think Of any suitable rcpartee to
that. so remained silent He shut the door
again and. as his footsteps departed down the
stairs, felt that he was right. was not likely
to be able to call myself teacher any longer
Therefore got up earlier than usual the next
morning, in order to hand in my resignation
before could be discharged. 1t was accepted
and that ended my experience as pedagogue
Then travelled home and appeared in nv
great act - the prodigA SON. with 0 moderate
degree Of success"
RATS AND RECIPROCITY.
| American Rodents With . Practical sysesru
! of Free Trade.