The Lakeland evening telegram. (Lakeland, Fla.) 1911-1922, 1912-07-16

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PresS)
There had been talk for year OF
more among the residents of Laure.
Cove. high up on the Cumberland
range, that school for their children
ought to be opened, with a "reglar
schOOlmaster" at the head, and the
thing was an accomplished fact at
last. An old log barn had been re-
modelled, the schoOlmaster had ar.
rived. and Laurel Cove was congratu
lating itself on the boom.
Il don't reckon this yere Cove will
ever be as big as Raleigh or Nash.
Vile" observed Uncle Jim Henderson,
the leading man of the hamlet, but
what I'm sayin' Is that we've made
right smart beginning to see the dirt
fly"
The schoolmaster was bachelor
Of thirty He had been picked up
cheap. He had tried preaching. ped
ding and two or three other Occupa-
One to look at him would know that
he was shiftless and had no ambition.
but Laurel Cove wasn't expecting any
great shakes Of a schOolmaster-not
for awhile anyhow. The name OF the
pedagOgue was Jed Baker. and the
school committee had arranged that
he should board with the Widow Car.
son. That's where the committee
made a mistake that had serious re-
suits. In the first place, the widow
already had another boarder In the
person Of young Tom Beardsly. who
got out ties for the railroad and in.
tended to marry her. In the next,
there was another widow in the Cove
"a Mrs. Martin. who at once became
jealous Of the other and was deter
mined to raise row
Hardly had the schOolmaster open.
ed his show" and began teaching A.
b, { when there was a conspiracy on
foot Tom Beardsley saw a possible
rival in him and determined that his
school should be failure
Mrs. Martin felt that she had been
sighted, and she went to planning
how she could get him to her own
cabin, Mrs. Carson admitted that the
schoOlmastcr was shacklcty. but as he
was dedicated" she felt that she
could marry him and aid him to make
a career
Tho school ran along for a couple
Of months and everybody was pleased
Aside from teaching his pupils that
twice five is ten, and that dog"
spells dog. Jed made the announce
ment that the world was round and
that there was more water than land
on this globe. Also. that the Chinese
ate rats and that England was entire
ly surrounded by water. Uncle Jim
Henderson was ready to admit about
the dog" but he took exception to
the land and water question and pri.
vately advised the schoolmaster to 20
a little slow.
II hain't sayin' that you haint right
about it. mind you" he remarked. but
you see We have had so mighty little
TO do with land and water, and such
heap to do with cOonskins around
ycre, that It's gwine to take time Ny
son Bill was sayin' that you told the
scholars the other day it was ninety.
three million miles to the sun"
That's what It is" replied Jed
Who measured it,"
II ms boon measured by the as
tronom.rs'
And WHO be them >"
Men who study the sun moon ana
stars"
What did they measure With"
instruments, Uncle Jim"
Better let it drap, Jed" said the
old man with Il shake of his head Il
may be ninctythree million miles to
the sun but you cant find anyhodg
around these diggins who'll helicN.
it's over half mile and YOU don't
want to git up and be fussin' about
It."
TWO landlookers got INFO trouble ii
the Cove and there Wa shooting
Among the witnesses }ro.e The -c'rl
n@ t"r and hoth niaes at! ote Hs
1le. hal 70 aan lee ,..
how G ~ sis.