Santa Fe daily New Mexican. [volume] (Santa Fe, N.M.) 1885-1897, 1893-10-31


house on the hill was at last to be opened
and aired and the cobwebs brushed away,
not only from the building, but from the
minds of the pupils as we'll for the young
idea of the place had been left to sprout,
Irvine and tangle at its own sweet will and
had hitherto ran riot to such degree as to
demonstrate fully to those who cared to
note the signs that the schoolmaster was
indeed abroad at Townsville.
Nor was the younger portion of the com
munity the only ones who rejoiced at the
prospect of once more having school "to
keep" for indeed with their pleasure was
mingled also a little apprehension lest the
paths of knowledge might contain, with
the flowers of wisdom, little of the birch
of wholesome discipline, but the parental
element was also chuckling with glee,
mainly, fear, at the pleasant prospects Of
being able in SO commendable manner to
shift unruly burdens onto shoulders clearly
paid for carrying them so many hours daily.
Six months before this bright June morn
ing the stage on it's daily rounds had de-
posted at the door of the village tavern a
pale and hollow eyed young lady, who had
evidently come to this faraway western
settlement for breath of the health giving
breezes blown into Townsville from it's
surrounding mountains-a sure tonic for
an oyerworked body and brain. The Thorn,
asville breezes had sustained their reputa-
tion for healing, and the young lady, an ex-
perienced teacher in city school, was
about to return home and resume her du-
ties, but at the urgent solicitation of the
villagers, who had gained some knowledge
of her efficiency as a teacher (partly through
her own efforts in the Sunday schooD, she
had been induced to accept the arduous
post of schoolmistress in frontier village.
And so this bright j une morning Miss Raw.
son was indicted into her post as instructor
by trio of the county board, composed
of Tony Tressel, the blacksmith; Deacon
Horsefall, the grocer, and the irrepressible
Squire Jones, a self constituted committee
of introduction and installation.
Everything went well for few days in
the little schoolhouse on the hill, and the
village was loud in it's praise of the new
teacher, of whom it was said that she had
even crossed the sea, where Queen Victoria
herself had persistently urged her to stay
and be governess to the little princesses in
the Tower of London, but that her patriot
ism had gotten the better of her desire for
glory and had led her to refuse so tempt.
ing an offer, greatly to the advantage OF
the youth of Thomasville, U. S. A., etc.
But one day the proverbial cloud arose.
At first no bigger than a mans hand, it
finally descended in storm of wrathful in
dignation on the unsuspecting teachers
head. 1t was reported one day at home
by the hopeful Tommy Jones that the new
teacher, in her strenuous insistence on the
laws of grammatical construction as laid
down by Lindley Murray and his success
sors, had gone SO far as to make them all out
liars in order to make grammarians of
them. 1t had happened in this way: Tom.
my Jones, the squire's third hopeful, had
been late one morning and was also un
usually indolent, not even making an effort
to do the sums" which were his mornings
work.
On being reproved for this, he had ex
cused himself on the plea that "he hadn't
got no pencil-he done lef' it at home"
"Now, Tommy" said Miss Rawson, "you
don't mean you hain't got no pencil, for
that would be equivalent to saying you had
one You must either say | have no pencil,
or 4 haven't any pencil'" This admonition
and correction being repeated at home was
understood Ms conveying the impression
that Tommy had lied as regarded the pencil
and these sterling frontiersmen looked upon
an untruth as disgrace, SO that this nat
urally caused whirlwind Of indignation,
In the midst of which Squire Jones accom-
;aI hoo tn Sohpp1 70 l.;
mind to the teacher
II tell you, Miss Rawson," said the in
dignant squire, when my Tommy says he
hain't got no pencil, he hain't got none,
and it's no use tryin to make him lie outen
it," In vain the teacher protested against
this construction of her words. 1t was OF
no use. If that was grammar, then they
didn't want their children to larn gram.
mar, and no teacher frum nowhars shouldn't
arn 'em to lie." The excitement finally
grew so great that it was decided to hold
board meetin," at which it was decided to
ask the teacher to resign, to make way for
\ more competent teacher A conservative
element counseled arbitration, however.
There was in the village lawyer of un
doubted education and ability, who had
even this ignorant community
With sense of his worth. He was tempo
rarily absent, but it was decided to await
MS return and submit the case to him. II
ne claimed the teacher was right, she was
light, and Squire Jones must apologize to
Ter, but if on the contrary he reported her
wrong, then she must 90. Squire Hunger.
'ord came home at last, and the case was
to him.
With what result of course every educat
ID person would readily know, and true to
The decision by which he abided Squire
Jones, with little coteriea at his heels, went
20 the school to make the amende honora
Die, ending with: IAN say, Miss Rawson,
I hereafter you tell my Tom he's got pen
Ill when he hain't got none he'll hev to say
,e's got it, or I'll whale him alive, SOS to
lelp you larn him grammar, for Squire
Hungerford says he must larn it, an what
,e says goes"
Squire Jones went farther than this, for
re conceived the brilliant idea of hiring the
own hall deacon HIS barn) with a view
% having the teacher give lecture on her
European trip, the proceeds from which
we're to accrue to her benefit. Miss Raw,
ION, recognizing the kindly feeling which
the act, fell in with the idea and
IN the evening appointed gave them pleas
int talk about her travels.
Squire Jones acted as doorkeeper on this
luspicious occasion and accumulated a
latful of "shillings" as the result of his
zeal in good cause, all Of which he pre-
ented with great pride to the teacher,
whom he now felt he could not recompense
efficiently.
All that was nearly 10 years ago, aud
is now almost city. There
re three schoolhouses now, where gram
mar is presumably taught, and Thomasville
'ouths are distinguishing themselves in
'larnin," and the prettiest house in the
'illage is now occupied by Squire Hunger
ord and his wife, 'her that was Miss Raw
on."-Chicago Post.