Freeland tribune. (Freeland, Pa.) 1888-1921, 1899-10-30


crses for using the long birch rod he
kept on his desk; but when the rod
was used, it was with brutal force and
cruel effect.
Mr.. Jabez Jordon was extremely
vain of his personal appearance. He
dressed well and with great care. He
even kept a small hand-mirror in his
desk, and although he assumed that
its purpose was to make pupils who
came to school with dirty faces look at
themselves, it was certain that at re-
cess he would sit with the mirror in
one hand and a pocket comb in the
other, and as the boys expressed it,
'fuss with his hair"
This hair of his was noticeable for
its great abundance and glossiness. 1t
was black, and but lightly touched
with gray, although Jabez Jordon
was certainly nearly sixty years old.
He wore his hair in bushy curls and
waves oil over his head, and he was
almost continually tossing his hair
about lightly with the tips of his
fingers. It was manifest to the eyes
and to the nostrils of his pupils that
Jabez Jordon made liberal use of
cinnamon-s scented hair-oil. Even the
girls who disliked tie teacher most
admitted that he had lawfully pretty
hair"
He was very indolent. During
the noon hour he compelled the pupils
to leave the schoolroom, in order that
he might sprawl on q couple of long
recitation benches and take a nap.
Placing two benches side by side, he
would roll up his overcoat for pillow,
and stretching his long form out at
full length, sleep soundly. Sometimes
his snoring could be heard in the
schoolhouse yard.
Several weeks after the school
opened there came day in December
which was so unseasonably warm that
even the low fire in the big box stove
rendered the room so hot that the
door and windows were opened. The
unusual warmth made the teacher ex-
tremely drowsy. He yawned and
stretched all the forenoon, and al
most fell from his chair once or
twice.
Hastily eating his luncheon at noon,
he placed the two recitation benches
together, and bidding one of the
pupils to be sure to call him at five
minutes before one, stretched himself
out on the benches and fell asleep.
The pupils were playing in the
yard, when Dan Roby's Tige sud
denly ran out of the woods and vaulted
the low fence separating the yard
from the road. 1t was the first time
Tige had appeared at the schoohouse
since the day when he mad been twice
elected, for Dan had taken care that
the dog did not follow him again.
Tige was in high spirits. He barked
gleefully as he bounded toward his
young master and other acquaintances.
Dan tried to send him back home,
but he treated the command as
joke, and only barked and frisked
more joyously. The boys Eegan
throwing sticks into the air for Tlge
to catch, and they sent him racing
madly after balls and stones.
Over in corner of the yard eight
or nine little girls were playing tag.
Suddenly Lucy Sharpe, who was "it,"
stopped and said, gaspingly, with a
crimson face:
"Oh, I'm nearly dead for drink of
waterl I'm going to tiptoe into the
schoolhouse and get drink. I won't
wake the teacher"
She ran lightly toward the house,
and stepped in softly. A moment
later she came hurrying out, her eyes
wearing frightened look and her face
pale instead of red
80 girlsl" she exclaimed. "What
do you think?"
"Why, what's the matter?" the
girls asked. She glanced back to-
ward the schoolhouse, as if fearful of
pursuit, and then said, in an awe
stricken voice:
"The teacher hasn't got any hair"
"What?"
"He HASN'T Not speck of hair
has he got on his head! He looks
just awful Somebody has scalped
him, or something or other, for he
hasn't got bit of hairl It's all lying
on the floor by him!"
10000 Lucy Sharpe!"
"It's sol"
Hadn't we better wake him up an
tell him his hairs gomez" asked Sally
Lee.
HE'LL know it when he wakes up,
and won't he make an awful fuss?
You just go and peek in the door and
see how dreadful he looks And his
hair looks so funny there on the foorp
The little girls ran swiftly toward
the schoolhouse, and Tige, accepting
this as a challenge to give chase, sped
after them. They clustered about tho
door, but Tinge darted into the school
house.
rnapnapt ha lortoJ ,0o:,