Lawrence democrat. (Lawrenceburg, Tenn.) 1884-1925, 1906-12-07
Compulsory N0l-AttRllalCG
Law Applied to Teacher by Lusty
Sons of Pioneers
STORY GROWS IN INTEREST

hickory spikes four feet long, nicely
tapered from center TO each end, and
required us to stick one large pumpkin
or two small ones on each end of each
stick, aud then for one boy 10 each
stick, with its burdens, to reach home
as best he could. We succeeded, but
now, Dear Readers, imagine a boy Of IL
climbing mountain with such load,
sometimes carrying, sometimes rolling
and sometimes scOtching for rest If
our shoulders had been twice as broad,
we would have needed every inch for
room to make I sore. But we all enjoy
ed the fruit of our labor the next winter
We were now at our new home, dis
charging the duties of rural life, clear
ing land, raising corn, potatoes and
tobacco, hunting, fishing and killing
snakes 1t was believed that | found
and killed more bad snakes than anyone
else in our community. Twas not much
afraid but kept sharp lookout for the
serpents The meanest things have
ever found are the sneaking snake in
the grass, the hypocrite and the dog
without tail.
BY this time few families had set
tlee near enough together, as they
thought, to have little school, One
man said that he could teach, others
said that he was too lazy to do anything
else, so they would try him. Another
house was built, similar to the one re-
ferred to in my first chapter. Those
two school houses were the only ones
that | was ever in unit after | was a
man grown. The school tried to last
two weeks but before the first week was
out it was generally known that the
man was entirely unit to teach. He
was requested to stop but refused. Six
or eight boys determined to turn him
out So our plans were made The
decision was that if he still refused to
stop at the end of the second week, we
would all with one consent seize him,
drag him to the creek, duck him under
the water hold him there until he blub
bered nine times and then ask him if
he would stop the school and release
our parents from their obligation to pay
him, if he refused repeat the dose and
continue until he agreed. But he
learned of the plot, and knowing the
stuff we boys were made of, he wisely
decided to quit the school, So ended
my school opportunities.
We were now five miles from any
kind of church building The Meth
odist itlnerant work was laid out in
four week circuits. Our appointment
fell on Thursday of each fourth week
Our class meetings were held on one
Sunday in each month. Some of us
generally attended both but mother
seldom got to attend church except al
our annual camp meetings and neigh
borheod gatherings for worship.
, think that duringNthe second ten years
of my life we never failed but once tC
f attend one or more campmeetings, as a
whole family But when | was in my
, eighteenth year father, from some cause
/ decided not to attend the campmeetiug
The whole family was much distressed
at the thought of missing the October
Campmeeting. Mother tried to prevail
} on him to go but all to no purpose
} But when hope was almost gone, cause
, or new hope sprang up, the result of
e which, as ] yet believe, did more t.
3 establish my Christian life than an,
! other one thing that ever occurred
< Ny bro ther second above me in age
n who was at that time young married
i man, proposed to me that if | woul,
4 bear half of the expenses we would ten
y at the camp meeting and he furthe
+ proposed that he would furnish th
It meats and bread if l would furnish til
$ sugar, coffee and spices. told him
:. father would allow me the time TO ear
n the means | would do it, so he agree
0 aud set out five miles to a farmer an
II merchant for work. Times were yer
: hard, but we soon agreed that shou,