PREFACE. THE story of the Old Log School House is founded on fact. The prominent characters in the narrative will be recognized by a few who may peruse these pages. Should the reader expect to find this a mere historical record of the very happenings in any particular school-house, he will be disappointed. Although we have kept in view the actual events of a special locality, yet we have designedly omitted the real names of the actors, and have not observed the exact order of their occurrence. The impartial reader will, we trust, willingly pardon these digressions. The hopes, the fears, and the joys of a teacher's life are often strangely blended, and mark their significance upon the susceptive natures of the young by a thousand manifestations. A tender word, breathed out from a warm and loving heart, will make an impression, even upon the cheerless frost-surfaces of the great outer world; but the unspoken words of a printed page, are less sympathetic always. However, should our brother or sister teachers here discover any experiences that may revive fond memory, or the thoughtful pupil a single sentence that may be cheering or suggestive,—we shall be satisfied. We entertain a hope, therefore, that even these unworthy pages may not have been written entirely in vain. It may be proper to add furthermore, that the several fugitive sketches which compose the greater portion of this volume, have been collected by a personal friend, from our miscellaneous published writings, and from Manuscripts prepared at leisure hours. Hence, the variety in sentiment and style. This may serve to relieve the book from the monotony that accompanies tedious tale-telling or speculative theorizing. To our friend and former school-mate, MR. WILLIAM H. LAWRENCE, of Hammondsville, Ohio, we are indebted for the ambrotype from which the frontispiece is engraved. With only these words of apology and grateful acknowledgment, we respectfully submit this, our first book, to a kind and courteous public. ALEXANDER CLARK. CONTENTS. PAGE The Lazy School-Master-" Boarding Round"-Robbing a Grave...... 79 Suspicions and Superstitions-A Sad Farewell-New Post-Office......... 90 THE OLD LOG SCHOOL HOUSE. CHAPTER I. "Those years! those years! those naughty years! They flashed above us love's bright gem; Well, give the little years their way; Lift up the bare front to the day, And make their wrinkles smile; They mould the noblest living head They carve the best tomb for the dead." THERE were clamorous wants which were too beseeching, even imperative in their utterances to be refusedwants wholly physical it is true; but nature asserts her rights, and makes her demands heard to the utter exclusion of all other cries, and so the earth was made |