The Montgomery advertiser., 1908-10-11

The following incident occurred. years ago. In the old historic town of Tuskegee. when Mir. Park was prin- cipal of the Boys High School there.
 Being very thorough and practi- cal teacher, he thought to make the lessons In physiology and anatomy more instructive by illustrating them with human skeleton: so he bor- rowed one from Dr. Johnson. and kept 1t in the school rom for awhile.
 One morning ono of the most mis- chievous boys in school. but neverthe- less hard student, decided that he would go early to school. having some puzzling examples in arithmetic, and get his work done before the regular hour for the pupils to arrive.
 As he entered the school room. the first object that attracted his atten- tion was the skeleton. hanging in the corner behind his desk.
 He acknowledged to having creepy sensations. but these soon disappeared as his brain began to plan some mis- chief.
 Tn front of the school building was a little porch. on which some of the boys had placed rustic chair; talk Ing tho skeleton carefully from it's place. he carried 1t out on the porch and seated 1t in the chair. placing its hands on the arms Of the chair.
 
 Truly 1t was a gruesome looking ob- ject in the early morning sunlight. This done he retired to the school- room to await developments.
 The school house was situated upon a public highway, and the season be- ing autumn. when much hauling was done, he had not long to walt In about fifteen minutes a three-mule wagon from the country, with two bales of cotton on 1t. came along; two darkies were with the wagon, one rid- ing one of the mules and driving, the other seated on the cotton. As they came in front of the school the glance of the driver fell upon the object in the chair.
 "whoa. dar. mules" he said. Lord mussy, what's dat yonder?"
 What de matter wid you. nigger7" said the other one. who had not yet seen the skeleton, but just then he spied it.. and commenced climbing down from the wagon.
 "Whar you gwine, nigger?" said the driver. Just at this moment the boy hid in the school room gave an un- earthly groan. and the frightened dar- kies waited to hear no more. They fled down the road from whence they came.
 The boy came out from his hiding quickly removed the skeleton to it's 
 sons. MT. Park. the teacher. coming to school, noticed the wagon and won dered who could be so careless as to leave their mules and cotton there; but getting busy with his duties In the. school room he thought no more of l them until the noon recess. Noticing that the wagon was stiil there. and | the mules feeding around on the school l grounds. he called the boys and asked: i: | Boys, do you know whose team this is." The mischievous boy immediate ly related to him the incident of the skeleton. The teacher gave him pub- licly a severe reprimand. secretly he could not help from being amused.
 The boy was told to take the mules, ride down the road, find the negroes and bring them back. After riding about half a mile he came upon the darkIes. the centre of an excited group. who were listening to their wonder ful experiences of the morning.
 After many explanations and much persuasion, the darkies were induced to return with him to their wagon. They soon hitched up the mules. and with many timorous backward glances at the school house they drove rap- idly into town.
 But when their business was trans- acted they proceeded to their homes by another route. and never afterwards if 1t could possibly be avoided, would they pass Mir. Parks school Aberfoil, Ala.