Idaho semi-weekly world. [volume] (Idaho City, Idaho Territory) 1875-1908, 1892-05-13
TRAGEDY OF A SCHOOL.

. ladies' seminary was opened in the
village a revolution was brought about
in the little community. The students
were Of higher grade in apparel and
appearance, in beauty and display than
the residents. The young men for the
first time in their lives saw women of
cultivation and physical attractiveness.
The delicate figures of the newcomers,
their small and shapely feet and hands.
their Unframed compilations, their viii
lowy grace, their jewels, their rich
colors in dress, eyes and complexion
were SO much in contrast with what all
the young men had hitherto known that
they became at once infatuated.
Old attachments were ruptured, en-
gagements broken, and over the face of
many country girl lines of sorrow sup
planted the plump smoothness Of other
days. In the once pacific village there
was now incessant fog, cloudiness and
storm. The seminary became species
OF shrine; one that commingIed the ma
ture of saint and sinner-semi-sen-
sual and semi-sacred. Each Sabbath
young pilgrims from the neghboring
farms thronged into the town, sun
burned, with long hair, cowhide boots
and hats and coats of all patterns, and
arranged themselves along the street
over which the line of seminary girls
passed on their way to and from the
churches
Very naturally there grew up jealous
les, particularly among these young men.
Some Of them thought that others were
more favored than themselves. For a
long time the principal of the seminary
conducted his school with all the seclu-
sion of convent. There were no social
evenings at the hall; none of the fair
students were permitted to appear out
side without duenna, and it was per-
meated with all the mystery, security
and charm of a seraglio.
Two or three persons were allowed
the entree, and against these there was
very naturally created dislike on the
part of those debarred from the charmed
precincts. One of them became partic-
ularly obnoxious. He was lawyer
named Smith, who lived on patrimony
and such accessions as he gained from
the small returns from the practice of
his profession. He was man about 40
years of age, slender almost to emacia-
ton, with small, bald head, q sharp
pointed nose, and one eye-the other
had been lost-which was small, and
which glittered with an expression as
of contempt on his unlucky rivals.
Rivals" is the proper word. Mean
looking, uncutiyated and repellant as he
was, he had an open sesame to the SEM
mary building. He entered when he
pleased, and never failed, when oppor-
tunity offered, to relate his visits and to
exaggerate his intimacy. Many of the
young fellows who, while not Apollos in
their faces and figures, were neverthe-
less Vulcans in their muscular strength,
virile as tigers and strong as giants, be-
came frantic in their rage and humilia-
ton as they heard this man detail his
visits. He was one of the deformed
genii who passed at will into the para
disc of houris, while they, manly, robust
were excluded.
Among this class he became an object
Of furious hatred and execration.
1t was at this point in the situation
that came to the village to spend my
vacation, and soon became an active
partisan of the boys who hated the man
that monopolized the entrance to tho
seminary. Many meeting was held at
which the object of dislike was anathe,
matized and schemes of vengeance were
devised.
was just from a neighboring college
In which 1t was the custom to burn on
the campus certain text books whose
study had been finished, and it occurred
to me that something of the same kind
might be applied to the obnoxious law.
yer | outlined scheme to the effect
that on certain evening at specified
hour we should assemble in the principal
street, bring an effigy of our enemy,
which we should first hang and then
consume it in bonfire. The plan was
adopted by the boys with enthusiasm,
and we at once proceeded to carry it into
effect
The arrangement, as finally decided on,
was at exactly : O'Clock the participants
were to assemble at the barn of family
named Bryne, in which we were to stuff
an old suit of clothing with hay, and
then. in procession, bearing the figure ut
our head, we were to march through the
street to the square, where
there would be an address, and then the
hanging and the burning of the etfigy.
Now, boys, said the leader, who was
myself, "be prompt and be at the Bryne
entrance at exactly 8 O'Clock, and wen
have more fun in ten minutes than YOU
can shake stick at. ="
The fun" which resulted was not of
the kind anticipated.
We separated soon after, filed with
agreeable reflections We were about to
make infamous the bette noir that af-
ticted us and to visit on him the Just VEN
,eance that he invoked by his heinous
At this period there was vacation in
he seminary. The girls had mostly gone
home. A few lived at great distances, or
for other reasons remained during the va
cation. One of these. a girl named Anna
i omit her other name-had permission
20 visit, at intervals. one of the families