The Republican. [volume] (Oakland, Md.) 1877-current, 1897-07-15
Jenkins Schooling.
BY FREDERICK THORNE.
\NTIMMEN is queer critters" said
w Hank, refectively, fitting back

'An' tn fellar what SEE he onder-
stands 'em is one O. two things. He's
liar-er a fool. Generally he's both.
Now Their was Sam Bunker's wife.
When he knocked her down an kicked
her all round tn floor, an tn boys
wuz a-goin' t string him up fer it,
didn't she git out er bed an almost
crawl ter where tn boys wuz, an git
down on her knees, a-beggin' 'em not
to hurt Sam? They do the beatinest
things!"
They do say, Hank, that it was ac-
count o. one o. them queer critters
that you left the 'fete east; tho what
use any woman could hev fer you
can't see
Hank scowled at the speaker, Jim
jenkins, and made no reply to nhe in
situation.
"Speallin' O wimmen," said "Ginerar
Grant, 81 heard es how we're t hev a
school-teacher down hyar from Den
yer. TIL parson wuz a-goin' ter start
school in tn gospel shop, an git us
boys t chip in fer tn nes'sary eX-
penses."
wal, I'm ready to chip in, and go
ter school, too, eff she's purity" said
Hank, who was the homeliest man in
camp, with his nearest competitor for
that questionable distinction an Apollo
in comparison.
81 don't know as it would hurt any
of us t take hand in tn education
game. l hain't noticed any O tn east
ern colleges a-comin' t Aqua Buena
fer their professors"
A laugh greeted this sally of Jen-
llins', as the crowd broke up for the
night and sought its individual rest
ing places, leaving the bartender to
clean up.
Grant, nicBnamed General" had
spoken truly-not an invarable habit
of his One morning, about two weeks
after his announcement, the stage
stopped at Aqua Buena, and the par
son" handed down a little woman in
a neat, quiet dress, with a heavy.
brown veil covering her face.
The eXpectant crowd was disap-
pointed at this, as they considered it
unwarranted and provoking conceal
ment.
"'Tain't right" said Grant; "hyar
we all turn out ter see what she looks
like, an she keeps a regular skito net
over her face. 'Tain't right, nohow!"
The next morning, Sunday, Rev. Mr..
Hampstead had larger congregations
especially as regards the masculine con-
tingent, than he had ever addressed in
ho,
that the new school-teacher, in addi-
tion to her pedagogic duties, had con-
scented to add to the church services
with her voice.
Her neatly-gowned, booted and bon
neted figure looked out of place amid
the rough surroundings when she rose
TO her feet, and, standing near the
minister in the rude church, faced her
audience of rough men and scarcely
less hardened women.
Then, without the aid of any instru-
tment, for Aqua Buena boosted neither
organ nor piano, she sang. Sang until
her hearers were carried back to their
childhood, back to the time when they
thought the world good, knowing moth
ing of it's evil. Made yer think o.
yer dead mother!" as Hank expressed
it.
The hymn ended, the singer sat down
amid a silence which was the highest
compliment from such hearers, attest
ing an attention which, it is to be
feared, Mr.. Hempstead's efforts did
not receive. The congregation was too
busy watching the new importation,
and voting in favor of free trade in
such commodities, to hear much of
the sermon.
1t is wonderful what an influence
good woman has upon men.
Aqua Buena used, some of its Good
Water" the next morning; the women
on the faces of the children and the men
on their own countenances. In good
many cases it was merely a removal of
an outer layer of soil, but, anyway, it
was a move in the right direction.
The youngest of Miss Carson's pupils
was barely four years DID, the eldest,
on the wrong side of so, being. none
other than Hank himself. He was not
alone. Jenkins and dozen others who
had no feminine, restraining home in
fuence, accompanied him and were
seated on the planks that served as
benches when the teacher arrived.
When she saw THIS unexpected add
ton to her class she hesitated, blushed,
and then, assuming an air as if having
rough gold diggers old enough to be her
father for scholars was an everyday oc-
currence, she walked to the desk that
had been built for her Invested herself
of her hat and gloves (the men eyed
those gloves wonderingly), seated her
self and raped for order
The older section of her class dis
played amazing ignorance and unblush-
'ngly allowed siX-year-olds to pass
them, that they might receive addi-
+ional attention and instruction from
their fair precepter, If she thought
their lack of even the rudiments of the
''three RS" suspicious she did not show
IL, but went about her duties in a bust
nesslike manner, apparently seeing
nothing below the surface.
Jenkins developed a case of such
rapid decadence of intellect that be