Martinsburg herald. [volume] (Martinsburg, W. Va.) 1881-1920, 1891-09-12
The Ducking of Mr.. Dick.
BY J. l.. HARBOUR.

BY j. l.. HARBOUR.
A stranger, looking on from the back.
ground, would have been greatly amused
to sec the expressions on the faces of the
boys and girls of the Rose Lane school
when they saw for the first time the new
teocher, Mr.. Timothy Dick, approaching
1t was almost nine O'Clock before he
came, ana some of the larger ones had
been saying that they "gues I'd he had
been scared out"
"Mebbe he won't be so slow going
away as he is getting here" said Nat
Brace, a suriy-looking, untidy boy about
seventeen years Old.
1t was a neat little new country school
house in the first freshness and spotless-
ness of snowy white paint The blinds
were painted grass green, aud there
were green paper shades to the windows
an unusual thing in a country school
house in that neighborhood.
The luxury of blinds in the windows
of schoolhouse was sharply ridiculed
by several slow-going people in the dis
trict.
"Nezt thing you know they'll be
putin down lowered carpets and So
ties for them to lop down on that gits
too lazy to set up said old Mr.. Joyce.
"Laws-a-massy!' said Mrs. Jasper,
who had visited the new schoolhouse
with Mrs. Joyce to see how the tax
money was being squandered CANT
you heerd what all this style is being put
on forl'
COZ course I've heerd, Sally Jasper,
and its all nonsense, as you'll sec fore
you're six months older. Now, the idear,
Sally Jasper, the very idear, that the
scholars air goin' to behave any better in
aschoolhouse all finished up like that than
they would in the old house! Just as if
white paint and green shelters and fancy
school furniture, and all that, had any
thing to do with boys moral nature."
OTIS all Wesley Reddings doings,"
replied Mrs. Jasper. ''IIe sticks up for
it that the scholars air gon' to act ac-
cordiu' to their surroundn's, and if they
have to set in dirty, tumble-down old
schoolhouse, with the plasterin' half off n
the walls, the stove all rusted out, and
with old benches for seats and no place
to put a cap or shawl, exceptin' to SET
on 'em-he says, Wesley Reddiug does,
that boys and girls air bound to be slip
shod and even sassy themselves. From
the day he was 'lected director Of the
deestrict he fit for new house; and now
well see how his theory works."
The Hcw house stood on a gentle rise
at one end Of the long Rose Lane,
grassy rural thoroughfare, sweet vita the
scent and bright with the delicate PINK
of wild roses blooming in almost every
fence corner in their season.
But the roses hail fallen, and the yell
low leaves Of che bushes betolened frost
and snow when young Mr. Timothy Dick
walked up Rose Lane for the first time,
one bright but Slightly chilly October
day.
When the teacher left the Lane AMI
walked az the well-worn path toward
the sChooihouse, the curious eyes Of the
forty or more boys and girls, OF all sizes
and ages, beheld for the first time a
slightly built, smooth-faced and very
trim young man, who came walking up
the path, and greeted them cordially.
Good morning, he said, with a smile.
al have almost set you bad example
by being late myself on the first day of
school, but ! have walked all the wav
from my home in Wayne, which you
know is nearly six miles from here, and
Mr.. Reddiug detained me for several
minutes when | was passing his house
But there are still three or four minutes
before uine o clock; so no one can really
say that am late. Can he, my little
manl"
He put his hand lightly on the tangled
red curls OF little Sammy Pixies head as
he spoke. Sammy, quite overcome by
this unexpected attention, bIushed scar
let and lisped out:
Ono, thr"
81 am here just in time to open the
school, y the teacher went on, land we
will 80 right in and get to work"
He stepped to the door of the school
room, as he spoke, aud said in pleas
ant tone
"Wen, well, What bright, pretty
schoolrOom! We ought to make famous
progress in such room as this. And
we must keep it just as tidy as it is
now"
Mr. Dick was a marked exception to
many Of the former teachers of the school
in tho exceeding tidiness of his appear
ance
Nat Brace glanced contempmously
toward some Of his companions aud wills
percd, Hes regular dude!"
When Mr. Dick took out his handker-
chief, and lightly brushed the dust from
his polished boots and from the bottom
Of his trousers before entering the house,
Nat whispered behind his hand to Bryan
Thayer, "Ju5t look at Miss Nancy"
Miss Nancy's" sense Of hearing was
acute. lie heard Mats whisper, but did
not show in any sign that he had heard
it,
Mr.. Dick surprised the school by max
ing no threats, and laying down no law
70 the school in his opening talk. This
WAS an unhcard of thing in the Rose
Lane school. The suriy, ignorant man
who had taught the school during the
previous winter had brought with him
on the first day a long, keen rod cut
IRON hickory sapling. Marching def
antly into the old schoolhouse, this
teacher had given the desk several re-
sounding whacks with the rod, and had
said
"Now that's what You'll all get if you
1 don mind your books aud be good No
!. IL