The Indiana State sentinel. [volume] (Indianapolis) 1868-1895, 1892-03-16
UNDER THE NAPLES;
Or, the Test of Character.
a Story OF Village Life
w T Z r N. II N NJ a N.
a Story of Village Life


IL would then De inadequate for the re-
Quirements OF its own district. "Our pom
uiRtion, saii he, "has outgrown the COM
mon country district school. The expense
OF a new building will be more than the
repair Of this one, but look at the advan-
tagesl We would not only save the ex-
pense Of sending cur children away to be
educated az now has to be done when
they pass from the rUdlmental branches,
but also save exposing them TO dangers
and temptations among strangers. Not
only this, but il is my flrm conviction that,
properly conducted and q high standard
OF excellence maintained, 1t will give our
beautiful village such G name and fame
as viii induce wealthy and cultured fami-
lies to settle here, and thereby enhance
the value OF our property, and l modestly
submit my opinion that pupils viii flock
in from other districts and towns in such
numbers that the tuition received from
them will alone pay the increased expense
OF conducting this higher school, TO say
I nothing OF the money which will have TO
be necessarily spent IN our stores for their
daily support, ana thus we Will eventually
reap a sound financial reward"
Mr.. Tompkins spoke in his usual re-
duadant vein, and rather lengthily, but
he fairly set forth the academy side of the
I
Widow Budget now took her turn.
She spoke with emphasis and vigor "I'm
q man when 1t comes TO payin' taxes on
my properly, an I'm a nothin' when
want my say as to how them tsxesll be
spent. LCheers. Square, thar's patti
ton fTum seventeen on us as owns prop
/ ETY. an pays taxes an can't vote" and
she thrust the petition at the chairman.
Free schewelsW she resumed, with in
| tense bitterness. why should paw fur
other folkses' young 'uns skulin'? HayP
] and she rested her hands on her hips and
I boboed her head violently. by an by
you'll want us to pay for their clothes an
bread an butter-what's the difference p
an buy EN- a planner, PROPERLY, I'm
mense applause. II they can't pay for
/ their young 'uns what do they hey 'em
+ fur-hay? Renewed cheering l told
EN- it Wuzn't no use, but l wuz a comm
I 10 tel them mis- able coots who dOan' own
1 a dullar, an never did an never will. but
/ who kin vote TO build palerces, with my
money III sen their mis'ahle brats 10
+ schewl in, what l thunk of 'em-yes, Jest
/ such fellers as you, Bill Wilder an You
+ amt q gOin' 10 cough me down, mother"
I 4 terrible noise OF wheeling and cough
/ ing had begun among those Immediately
( about the stove.
/ II won't be shet up~ screamed the an
CRY widow.
But here she was taken with such
/ epasm of strangulation that the squire
/ was afraid that her wrath had resulted in
a at, and he jumped up to Indignantly
! protest against this unmanly conduct, but
as he opened his mouth something ting
ling, sutOcating, penetrated his throat,
4 and he sat down choking and speechless.
! For the second time the meeting broke
up in a tumult. Doors and windows were
hastily thrown open and everybody went
out OF doors to get breath OF fresh cir,
and all because Stubby, coaxed into it by
one OF the older bows who had given it to
him, had slyly thrown a lot of cayenne
! pepper on the red-hot stove.
BY the time the air in the room had
/ been purified it was late and many had
gone home. Previous to the pepper cpl
/ sOde the sentiment OF the meeting and the
majority OF the voters had been clearly in
favor of the academy, but the most of
| those who had gone home were from that
side, and the result was now doubtful.
/ An anti-academy man now arose; it was
Mr.. Lorraine. Our foretatheIs," he said,
when they established the free public
school system, did not include in it the
| simply polishing branches of foreign and
dead languages, higher mathematics and
the different 'ologies, all of which are nee
essary only TO those who enter the profess
sions. They provided schools where a
boy was taught to read, write, cipher and
think for himself and when he left their
schools he was not above becoming a
farmer. or merchant, or mechanic. APP
plau6e from the ants Another thing
Who derives the main benefit from these
free-as you call them-academies, any
waY2 Why, the rich mans son to be sure
When the poor mans son has arrived at
an age when he is big enough TO go to
work he must leave the school and help
the father in the field. His father cannot
feed and clothe and house him, even if
the district does pay TO see how good a
| labOTer or mechanic can be spoiled, and
how poor q lawyer can be made Great
applause from the same side as before !
But, gentlemen, our talk is all hypocrisy.
| may be called selfish; good; so | am.
So are you, too. If you could bar out all
in this room except the taxpayers, then
count those who have children to send to
this school. / will tell YOU how many votes
the academy would get. Then count all
the taxpayers who have no children to
send to this academy, and you will have
the number OF votes against it, That's all
there is to the question. Unfortunately
every man over twentv-one eau vote, tax
payer or not"
The singular ending of Mr.. Loraine's
remarks was characteristic of the man.
Well educated and keen, often satirical
and rough in speech, niggardly at times
and in odd ways, and lavish and liberal
on unexpected occasions, he was a strange
and negative man.
The Rev. Mr.. Dowdall got up to speak
lie had habit OF getting up TO speak or
all possible occasions and he was not 9
popular speaker He was too long
winded, TOO dictatorial and he always be.
gan with Greece and Rome and was alto
gether too long in getting down to the
nineteenth century.
"W hen the flaming torch OF ancient
Greece first shot athwart the horizon o
mankind and lighted up the intellect Of
slumbering nations; when Rome's great
en- pire-"
Question I" shouted some one.
Dir. Dowdall stopped butan instant, RnC
began more firmly: when Rome grea
empire swayed the destines Of millions
her onward march was marked by"
The voters never knew what marked
the onward march Of the Roman empire
. for:
Question "On, 90 an talk at
mark" Question:" "Come oil you
, | perch - Observation-Disclosures % came II