The star. (Reynoldsville, Pa.) 1892-1946, 1903-07-01
OSe
BELLIGERENT SCHOOkMASTER
And 66e
BELL|cOSE EDITOR.


tai range and encyclopedia knowledge
and is not regarded as harmless
drudge-there lived and conducted
classes" long, raw-boned mountaineer
named Hill. He was a man of amaz-
ing industry and possessed of diplo-
mas OF learning, but he retained in
rich luxuriance the unpruned collo-
quail speech of his native mountains
"a speech which took grotesque liber-
ties with grammar and idiom.
Now this Hill was, among other
things. a great hand for the gals" rs
he elegantly phrased it, and in their
company he took a satisfaction which
overHowed in grins and cackles and
uncouth compliments. Even here,
however, he had, like Washington lrv-
ing's immortal Ichabod Crane-whom,
in general, he rather closely resem-
bled-an eye upon the practical side
of things. In short. he was apt to
look with special favor upon young
women who were blessed with rich
fathers.
Now, in the same region in which
this schoolmaster held sway lived a
gentleman who undertook to supply
the community with the local news in
weekly installments, and. to that end,
maintained a plant consisting of
hand press of respectable age and an
Office force of one compositor.
Naturally Mr.. Harris, the editor,
was a man in high consideration; no
political or social function was COM
plete without him. Naturally, also,
Mr.. Hill, the schoolmaster, was a per-
son of equal If not superior considera-
tion, and likewise much in demand for
all manner of festivities. Both gentle
men went at least as cheerfully as
they were bid-and neither ever missed
one of these delightful dances which
were a feature of Wauhatchie society.
Both the editor and the schoolmas-
ter danced vilely-and each regarded
his own capers with much compla-
cency. These facts are interesting but
not essential; the point is that both
the editor and the schoolmaster, by
chance, fixed their affections upon the
same lady-a local heircss. At first
good friends, they presently began to
look at each other out of the corners
of their eyes and then settled down
to deadly rivalry marked by an un-
compromising attitude of mutual
scorn-a scorn which neither took the
pains to hide.
The lady in the case was not wiser
or more beautiful than the general run
of girls, but she had the astuteness
which belongs to the sex, and she held
the balance so true between the two
rivals that neither could claim any
long-continued advantage.
It so happened that the learned Mr..
Hill had as assistant a harmless
drudge who. as is the way of some
foolish schoolmasters, set his boys to
write compositions, many and long,
and Mr.. Harris, as befitted q puunc-
spirited editro, offered a prize for the
best composition on matter OF
public interest" written by a pupil
of the school in which the whole town
of Wauhatchie took pride. But, be-
cause he hated Mr.. Hill Mr.. Harris
stipulated that the editor was to be
the sole arbiter of merit. These com.
positions ION matters of public inter
est" were duly written, doubtless with
much painful thought and more chew
ing Of the tops of innocent penholders
on the part of the youthful authors.
The results of their labors were hand
ed to the editor, and the editor award
ed his prize-a years subscription TO
The Wauhatchie News. Further, he
published the prize essay in his col
umns. This Juvenile scrawl was not
remarkable in any special way, but 1t
was outspoken about a matter of local
politics which was at that time max
ing bad blood. What was worse, the
youngster who wrote it-a pugnacious
youth-had ventured to assume o po-
sition which did not at all agree with
fhe stand which the schoolmaster had
judged 1t wise to take on the same
subject. Reading the effusion now in
a public print and proclaimed in scare
head lines as a prize essay by pupil
of his school, the learned Mr.. Hill fair
ly boiled with indignation. His enc
my had played him scurvy trick. and
ne must have revenge. He seized his
hat, and still holding on to the offend
Ing newspaper, set out to find the edi-
tor. This he had no difficulty in do
ing. The faithful servant of the pen
and the public was in his sanctum
with the lone compositor and several
1oafers who spent much time there. In
the midst of this sleepy senate ap-
peared suddenly the indignant Mr.. Hill
very red in the face and agitating
his newspaper-and declared with
great vehemence that he objected to
that so-called prize essay. He began
to sling his mountain lingo about reck-
lessly and even INDUCED in threats of
personal violence-at which the edi-
tor smiled pleasantly. Then the
schoolmaster, beside himself, made for
the editor with his fists, whereupon
the compositor and two burly loafers
promptly collared him and hustled
him away swearing in manner that
would have given infinite delight to
the innocent boys over whom he pre-