The St. Mary banner. (Franklin, Parish of St. Mary, La.) 1889-1931, 1909-12-04

Alter Il Walk vi d H-4lc VI 81, ~
than had no difficulty in finding the
white house, with the tall tree in the
front yard, that hal been described
to him. or in finding the supervisor
of schools. who was in the barn
with his father, engaged in huskine
corn.
Mr. Dag9ett was an understood
man, with STOPPING shoulders and a
very short chin. At first glance he
appeared almost insignificant, espe
cially in comparison with his father
who was tall and erect, with bristling
gray hair and deep-set eyes, that look
ed out almost fiercely from under
shaggy brows.
But when the little man had learn
ed the reason for NaIhan's call, his
eyes frightened, and he Strengthened
up into an attitude Of dignity BETTING
his Office.
Every WELL" he said, rising from
the milking-stool on which he had
been sitting, IF you will step into
the house l will proceed to examine
you"
But here the old captain interposed,
in a tone of command that fairly
startled the visitor.
"You don't need to go into the
house. You can just as well stay
right where you are and keep on with
your husking while you're putting the
young Teller through his PAGES. Get
him another stool, and let him sit
down. and then fire away with your
questions. He can take some shingles
out of that bunch by the door to do
his figurin' On. I'm tired of being
left to work alone while you are in
the house taking your time examin-
in'!"
The supervisor looked little an
noyed, but he finally acquiesced in
this program. Nathan. on his part,
was rather pleased with this turn OF
the affair. 1t seemed to him that
an examination conducted in barn
and without books or paper could
not be a very formidable matter.
But in this he was mistaken. Super
visor Daggett needed no book. He
knew his Weld and Quackenbos's
Grammar from cover to cover, fine
print and all; and not only was he
familiar with all the knotty prob
lens in Greenleaf's National Arlth-
metic, but, as he often boasted, he
could make up sums right out OF his
head
For nearly two hours the inquisi-
ton lasted, and through it all poor
Nathan was conscious that he was
faring badly. He knew that there
We're plenty of questions that he
could answer, but somehow these
seemed to be just the cnes that did
not SET asked Then the supervisors
knowing smile at the numerous mis-
takes was very disconcerting. al
though perhaps not more so than the
shifts and grunts from old Captain
Daggett as the examination wore on.
At last the ordeal was over, and
the supervisor announced his decis-
ion.
I'm afraid l can't conscientiously
give you a certificate he said. 1--WE
want to elevate the standard of our
schools, and I maintain that the only
way to do it is to employ more highly
educated teachers. But you mustn't
be discouraged When l was your
age I couldn't do any better than you
have, but 1 kept studying. and now
you see where ann"
Nathan rose from his milking-stool.
glad to be released on any terms.
His legs were cramped, and the per-
spiration stood in drops on his fore
head.
II wonder If you would give me
drink of water before I go?" he asked.
"Sartin! Sartin!" cried tho old cap
tain, jumping up and leading the way
out OF the barn to the well in front
of the house.
That's fine water" observed Ma
than, gratefully, after quenching his
thirst
The captains face Frightened. Its
the best water in town by all odds"
he asserted, vigorously. Il dug that
well myself just fifty-two years ago
this fall, and it's never run dry from
that day to this. How deep do you
suppose it is? Well, can tell you.
It's just twenty-one feet deep.
"But here is something that l don't
know, nor anybody else" he contin
ued, pointing to the elm under which
they were standing, land that IS the
height of this tree.
But I'd give good deal to know
l set out that tree sixtytwO years
ago, when l was a youngster. 1t was
just my height then-five foot two.
We've 10th grown since that day. !