The Somerset herald. [volume] (Somerset, Pa.) 1870-1936, 1893-12-06
A SAVAGE SCHOLAR.


Several years ago while leading the
migratory life of district school teacher
fate laid the scene Of my daily labors in
tiny schoolhouse among the Boylston
hills.
1t wasa lovely, though lonely place.
On one side the hills, in gently sloping
descent, melted softly into the pebbly
beach of sold Ontario"-and on the other
rose, crest on crest, as far as the eye could
see. One building alone gladdened my
eyes-a large red barn a half mile away
Before the school house lay the broad
meadows belonging 10 the owner of the
barn, while behind it tangled thicket
of bushes and slender second-growth
trees almost brushed the low roof.
My scholaIs-with one exception
were the usual assortment of freckled,
tanned, frowsly, barefooted boys and
girls usually found in Icouhtry school.
This notable exception was Sam Sharp,
an exceedingly bright, doll boy. For
though fourteen years old and scarcely
keeping his place in class of children
not much more than half his age, he was
yet the quickest witted, the most observ-
ing and the handiest boy ever knew.
Add to this that he was good-natured,
truthful and fearless-and exceedingly
handsome-the accusation that "the
teacher favored Sam Sharp" WAS not, per
haps, entirely without foundation.
When l first came to the little hill
schoolhouse the children entertained me
with many gruesome tales OF the wild
animals which sometimes came down
from the North Woods, and were appa-
renily particularly partial to that locali-
ty.
"Why," said Sam Sharp, right here,
on this very spot, in the bushes back of
the schoolhouse, they killed bear last
year. You ought to have seen his claws
and there wasn't thing in mis- stomach!
Ifschool had a kept then likely 'nough
he'd made meal OF some ofus. Wouldn't
Minty Smith made him a good square
one, he's go fat?
Here Minty set up a wall, Il won't be
ct up by bear if am fat" the other
children shouted with laughter, and such
tumult prevailed l was obliged to ring
the bell and thus shorten the noon in
termission by ten minutes.
But did not forget the bear, and
many were the uneasy glances ] cast
toward the thicket behind my rustic
temple of learning. But no fery-eyed,
red-tongued, black head ever peered at
me from the green depths, and forgot
the bear in the still more blood-curdling
tale of the panther, told me by no less
authority than the school trustee.
Two years ago." he said, "a panther
came down from the woods and COM
menced rampagin 'mong the animals.
One night he killed calf Of mine and
three days after two sheep over on the
turnpike, and none knows how many
other critters he killed we never heard
of, for he was all over like bad weather.
One night we heark him over in Hem
lock Lake swamp cryin' like baby, the
next night my boy Bill heard him over
on the Peterboro road ten mile from
here, where he'd been to dance, and he
was fin'ly shot by Nike Mullen not forty
rods from your school house door"
Then for several weeks heard stealthy
steps and felta hot breath on my neck,
a half dozen times at least, during my
mile walk through the thick September
mists to the school house. And, surely,
those were the thickest mists that ever
wrapped any hills, they blotted every
thing from my sight but short stretch
OF road before me.
The lowing Of cattle, the neighing Of
horses, the voices of people, came to me
from them with the weirdness and un-
reality We feel when dog barks at mid
night. And as, with ears strained in list
ening and cold chills trayersing my spine,
walked the lonely road, many queer
fancies came to me born ofmy loneliness
and fears.
If the panther should deTour me,
would my wrath haunt the road
Would travellers, walking through the
misis, be startled by pale-faced woman
passing them with hurrying steps, and
shiyering, backward looks? And would
she wear frizzles, and carry tin dinner
pail? AS this OF some other ridiculous
conclusion came to me | would laugh,
and in a revulsion of feeling come, out
Of the liffing mists, into spicy odors and
merry child-life.
September mists gave way to bright
October veritable golden month--the
late frosts, which had delayed aim ost
to its beginning, Rloriied the hillsides
into such wonderful beauty, seemed to
be living in a new world. No monster
had come from the thicket-no dark
form had bounded, with child-like cry,
from the mists.
October was almost gone, vacation was
only a month away, in the pleasant pres
ent, and anticipated future, / had for
gotten my fears. One day, shortly after
the beginning ofthe afternoon session,
saw Sam Sharp's uplifted hand. As he