The Virginia enterprise. [volume] (Virginia, St. Louis County, Minn.) 1893-19??, 1897-04-02

Trustees.
BY order of the board of school trustees
the above advertisement was published
in the county newspapers and from the
many applicants, the daughter of an ex-
judge of the superior court of the county
was chosen.
Judge Mallory had been noted for his
legal knowledge and honesty while on
the bench: but, like many old California
ans, he liked good living and the bottle
too well for his own good. Ruth NAL
lery, his only daughter, mad had no ex-
perience in school teaching, nor, indeed,
in any kind of labor. She was the spoiled
child of a fond father, hcr mother hav-
ing died in her infancy. Ruth had ac
qulred the greater part of her education
ut Mills seminary, but she had continued
hcr studies in music and painting after
her graduation from that institution.
Upon these studies her father spent
money with a lavish hand, having teach
to instruct her. These studies had been
continued up to the time of the judges
death, which had come suddenly and
without warning. After his death, his
affairs were found to be in Il very de-
moralized condition: he had lived far be-
yond his means, and i'll order to pay his
funeral expenses and liQuidate his debts,
1t was found necessary to sell his mag
nliicent residence at the county seat.
When his affairs had been settled, Ruth
found that she had but a few hundred
dollars left, and she saw that it would
be necessary for her to do something
Immediately by which to gain living.
Now, although Ruth Mallery had given
a great deal of time to the acquisition of
hnl fN Sfn cfS,l
ing. she found that she was not compe-
tent to earn a livelihood by these arts,
as she had pursued them in an amateur
lsh manner, and did not possess the
! requisite professional skill to impart
them to others. She therefore decided to
| apply herself to such studies as would
enable her to teach in district school.
This she did with such assiduity that
she was soon enabled to pass an exami-
nation and obtain first-grade teachers
certificate. This secured, she applied for
an received the appointment to the
school, as previously stated.
At this time Ruth was 20 years of
age, slight and delicate in appearance,
but possessed of undaunted will. She
took up her chosen profession with de-
termination to make of it grand sue
MIR. Van Dyke, the president of the
board of trustees. Ruth thought her.
self quite fortunate in her choice of a
boarding place, as the Van Dukes were
one of the most influential families in
the valley. Mr.. Van Duke having mar
ried one of the Moraga girls, descend
ant of an old Spanish family after whom
the valley had been named and whose
possessions at one time had included
nearly the whole of Contra Costa coun-
ty.
Ruth's success in teaching the summer
term was SO pronounced that the trus-
tees employed her for the ensuing Win
ter term, which had heretofore been
taught by a male teacher. When the
winter opened, she found that she had
among her scholars a number of boys of
20 years of age, among them one of the
Van Dukes, a son Of the trustee.
Van Duke had paid Ruth Il great deal
Of attention. and this led him to act as
though 7,o he had some proprietary claim
the older boys, who wished to divide at
tcntions with Van Duke and sometimes
cites Of the valley. This feeling i'll
creased among the young men of the
school until there was a race rivalry
| started between the boys of Spanish and
Mexican descent and the boys of Ameri-
can birth. Henry Hosmer was the lead
e. OF the Americans, and George Van
Duke led the Spanish faction. Ruth
was not aware of this strong feeling
among her scholars. She did not intend
| to receive the exclusive, attentions of any
one of the boys, and had been escorted
by several of them to various entertain
ments. although it had happened that, .liv-
ing at the Van Duke s home George had
attended her more frequently than had
the others. They therefore accused him
of taking undue advantage of them by
reason of Ruth's residence at his fathers
home.
This fractional jealousy grew until all
Of the larger boys were ranged under the
it increased in intensity until Hosmcr
challenged Van Duke. The latter ac-
| cepted the challenge, naming dirk-knives
as the weapons. The following Satur-
day afternoon the duel took place. The
spot se re tea was at the fS%t Of rayne
The place was we'll chosen. as it was
! an open fiat, inclosed by thick grove
| of oaks, where there would be no risk of
interference by passers- by. Six boys on
each side were there when Hosmer, with
| his second, made his appearance a few
moments later Van Duke and his second
arrived. They. took off their coats, hats.
waistcoats and neckties, and took their
places, awaiting the word to commence.
| At the word ''ready'' they advanced to-
| ward each other and each acted on the
defensive. Each carried in his left hand
a Panama hat to use as shield to ward
| off or receive a blow. Hosmer pushed
the fight and struck Van Duke a blow.
| thus drawing the first blood. Then Van
| Duke cut Hosmer upon the right temple.
and the blood flowed down over his eve.
partially blinded him. Van Duke now an,
peared to fight upon the defensive, while
| Hosmer grew more and more aggressive.
| Suddenly Hosmer rushed upon his antag-
onist and struck at him; Van Duke tried
to ward the blow with the hat held in
his left hand, but Hosmcr's dirk struck
| him in the left wrist. going in at the
joint and breaking off, leaving Hosmer
| perfectly defenseless.
His life could have been easily taken
| by Van Duke, but the young Spanish
| American tossed his dirk to his second.
saying: II have done nothing to cause
this duel, bu- accepted it 50 that it
could not be said that was a coward.
If you are all satisfied, I am willing to
shake hands with Hosmer and let the
| quarrel end for good.''
| Both sides could but admire the shirt
shown by Van Duke and the principals
shook hands and declared the fight end
i