The Schoolmaster's Progress by Caroline M.S. Kirkland
Section [1 | 2]
before he_came to school, with an intimation that he might leave an answer in a certain spot on_the following morning . the bait took at once, for_Mr Horner, honest and true himself, and much smitten with_the fair Ellen, was too happy to_be circumspect . the answer was duly placed, and as duly carried to miss bangle by her accomplice, Joe Englehart, an unlucky pickle who " was always for ill, never for good," and who found no difficulty in obtaining the letter unwatched, since_the master was obliged to_be in school at nine, and Joe could always linger a few_minutes later . this answer being opened and laughed at, miss bangle had only to contrive a rejoinder, which being rather more particular in its tone than_the original communication, led on yet again the happy schoolmaster, who branched out into sentiment, " taffeta phrases, silken terms precise," talked of hills and dales and rivulets, and_the pleasures of friendship, and concluded by entreating a continuance of_the correspondence .

another letter and another, every_one more flattering and encouraging than_the last, almost turned the sober head of_our poor master, and warmed up his heart so effectually that he_could scarcely attend to_his business . the spelling-schools were remembered, however, and Ellen Kingsbury made one_of_the merry company; but the latest letter had_not forgotten to caution Mr Horner not to betray the intimacy; so_that he_was in honor bound to restrict himself to_the language of_the eyes hard as it_was to forbear the single whisper for_which he_would_have given his very dictionary . so, their meeting passed off without the explanation which miss bangle began to fear would cut short her benevolent amusement .

the correspondence was resumed with renewed spirit, and carried on until miss bangle, though not overburdened with sensitiveness, began to_be a little alarmed for_the consequences of her malicious pleasantry . she perceived that she herself had turned schoolmistress, and_that master Horner, instead of being merely her dupe, had become her pupil too; for_the style of_his replies had_been constantly improving and_the earnest and manly tone which he assumed promised any thing but the quiet, sheepish pocketing of injury and insult, upon_which she had counted . in truth, there_was something deeper than vanity in_the feelings with_which he regarded Ellen Kingsbury . the encouragement which he supposed himself to_have received, threw down the barrier which his extreme bashfulness would_have interposed between himself and any_one who possessed charms enough to attract him; and we_must excuse him if, in_such a case, he_did_not criticise the mode of encouragement, but rather grasped eagerly the proffered good without a scruple, or one which he_would own to himself, as_to_the propriety with_which it_was tendered . he_was as_much in love as a man can_be, and_the seriousness of real attachment gave both grace and dignity to_his once awkward diction .

the evident determination of Mr Horner to_come to_the point of asking papa brought miss bangle to a very awkward pass . she had expected to return home before matters had proceeded so_far, but being obliged to remain some_time longer, she was equally afraid to_go on and to leave off, a denouement being almost certain to ensue in either case . things stood thus when it_was time to_prepare for_the grand exhibition which_was to close the winter's term .

this_is an affair of too_much magnitude to_be fully described in_the small space yet remaining in_which to bring out our veracious history . it must_be "slubber'd o'er in haste"-- its important preliminaries left to_the cold imagination of_the reader-- its fine spirit perhaps evaporating for want of being embodied in words . we_can only say that_our master, whose school- life was to close with_the term, labored as man never before labored in_such a cause, resolute to trail a cloud of glory after him when he left us . not a candlestick nor a curtain that was attainable, either by coaxing or bribery, was left in_the village; even the only piano, that frail treasure, was wiled away and placed in one corner of_the rickety stage . the most splendid of all the pieces in_the Columbian Orator_, the American Speaker_, the---- but we_must not enumerate-- in a word, the most astounding and pathetic specimens of eloquence within ken of either teacher or scholars, had_been selected for_the occasion; and several young ladies and gentlemen, whose academical course had_been happily concluded at an earlier period, either at our own institution or at some other, had consented to lend themselves to_the parts, and their choicest decorations for_the properties, of_the dramatic portion of_the entertainment .

among_these last was pretty Ellen Kingsbury, who had agreed to personate the queen of Scots, in_the garden scene from Schiller's tragedy of Mary Stuart_; and this circumstance accidentally afforded master Horner the opportunity he had so_long desired, of seeing his fascinating correspondent without the presence of peering eyes .a dress- rehearsal occupied the afternoon before_the day of days, and_the pathetic expostulations of_the lovely Mary--

mine all doth hang-- my life-- my destiny-- upon my words-- upon_the force of tears ! --

aided by_the long veil, and_the emotion which sympathy brought into Ellen's countenance, proved too_much for_the enforced prudence of master Horner . when_the rehearsal was over, and_the heroes and heroines were to return home, it_was found that, by a stroke of witty invention not new in_the country, the harness of Mr Kingsbury's horses had_been cut in several places, his whip hidden, his buffalo-skins spread on_the ground, and_the sleigh turned bottom upwards on them . this afforded an excuse for_the master's borrowing a horse and sleigh of somebody, and claiming the privilege of taking miss Ellen home, while her father returned with only aunt sally and a great bag of bran from_the mill--companions about equally interesting .

here, then, was_the golden opportunity so_long wished for ! here was_the power of ascertaining at once what_is never quite certain until we_have heard it from warm, living lips, whose testimony is strengthened by glances in_which_the whole soul speaks or--seems to_speak . the time was short, for_the sleighing was but too fine; and father Kingsbury, having tied up his harness, and collected his scattered equipment, was driving so close behind that there_was no possibility of lingering for a moment . yet many moments were lost before Mr Horner, very_much in earnest, and all unhackneyed in matters of_this sort, could find a word in_which to clothe his new- found feelings . the horse seemed to fly-- the distance was half past-- and at_length, in absolute despair of anything better, he blurted out at once what he had determined to avoid--a direct reference to_the correspondence .

a game at cross-purposes ensued; exclamations and explanations, and denials and apologies filled up the time which_was to have_made master Horner so blest . the light from Mr Kingsbury's windows shone upon_the path, and_the whole result of_this conference so longed for, was a burst of tears from_the perplexed and mortified Ellen, who sprang from Mr Horner's attempts to detain her, rushed into_the house without vouchsafing him a word of adieu, and left him standing, no bad personification of Orpheus, after_the last hopeless flitting of_his Eurydice .

" won't you ' light, master ? " said Mr Kingsbury .

" yes-- no-- thank_you-- good evening," stammered poor master Horner, so stupefied that even aunt sally called him "a dummy ."

the horse took the sleigh against the fence, going home, and threw out the master, who scarcely recollected the accident; while to Ellen the issue of_this unfortunate drive was a sleepless night and so high a fever in_the morning that_our village doctor was called to Mr Kingsbury's before breakfast .

poor master Horner's distress may hardly be imagined .Disappointed, bewildered, cut to_the quick, yet as_much in love as ever, he_could only in bitter silence turn over in_his thoughts the issue of_his cherished dream; now persuading himself that Ellen's denial was_the effect of a sudden bashfulness, now inveighing against the fickleness of_the sex, as all men do when_they are angry with any_one woman in_particular . but his exhibition must go on in_spite of wretchedness; and he went about mechanically, talking of curtains and candles, and music, and attitudes, and pauses, and emphasis, looking like a somnambulist whose " eyes are open but their sense is shut," and often surprising those concerned by_the utter unfitness of_his answers .

it_was almost evening when Mr Kingsbury, having discovered, through_the intervention of_the doctor and aunt sally the cause of Ellen's distress, made his appearance before_the unhappy eyes of master Horner, angry, solemn and determined; taking the schoolmaster apart, and requiring, an explanation of_his treatment of_his daughter . in vain did the perplexed lover ask for time to clear himself, declare his respect for miss Ellen and_his willingness to_give every explanation which she might require; the father was not to_be put off; and though excessively reluctant, Mr Horner had no resource but to show the letters which alone could account for_his strange discourse to Ellen . he unlocked his desk, slowly and unwillingly, while the old man's impatience was such that he_could scarcely forbear thrusting in_his own hand to snatch at_the papers which were to explain this vexatious mystery . what could equal the utter confusion of master Horner and_the contemptuous anger of_the father, when no letters were to_be found ! Mr Kingsbury was too passionate to listen to reason, or to reflect for_one moment upon_the irreproachable good name of_the schoolmaster . he went away in inexorable wrath; threatening every practicable visitation of public and private justice upon_the head of_the offender, whom he accused of having attempted to trick his daughter into an entanglement which should result in_his favor .

a doleful exhibition was_this last one_of_our thrice approved and most worthy teacher ! stern necessity and_the power of habit enabled him to_go through with most of_his part, but where was_the proud fire which had lighted up his eye on similar occasions before ? he sat as one of three judges before whom the unfortunate Robert Emmet was dragged in_his shirt-sleeves, by two fierce- looking officials; but the chief judge looked far more like a criminal than did the proper representative . he ought_to_have personated Othello, but was obliged to excuse himself from raving for " the handkerchief ! the handkerchief ! " on_the rather anomalous plea of a bad cold .Mary Stuart being "i' the bond," was anxiously expected by_the impatient crowd, and it_was with distress amounting to agony that_the master was obliged to announce, in person, the necessity of omitting that part of_the representation, on account of_the illness of one_of_the young ladies .

scarcely had the words been uttered, and_the speaker hidden his burning face behind the curtain, when Mr Kingsbury started up in_his place amid the throng, to_give a public recital of_his grievance-- no uncommon resort in_the new country . he dashed at once to_the point; and before some friends who saw the utter impropriety of_his proceeding could persuade him to defer his vengeance, he had laid before_the assembly-- some three hundred people, perhaps-- his own statement of_the case . he_was got out at last, half coaxed, half hustled; and_the gentle public only half understanding what had_been set forth thus unexpectedly, made quite a pretty row of it . some clamored loudly for_the conclusion of_the exercises; others gave utterances in no particularly choice terms to a variety of opinions as_to_the schoolmaster's proceedings, varying the note occasionally by shouting, " the letters ! the letters ! why don't you bring out the letters ? "

at_length, by_means of much rapping on_the desk by_the president of_the evening, who was fortunately a" popular" character, order was partially restored; and_the favorite scene from miss more's dialogue of David and Goliath was announced as_the closing piece . the sight of little David in a white tunic edged with red tape, with a calico scrip and a very primitive- looking sling; and a huge Goliath decorated with a militia belt and sword, and a spear like a weaver's beam indeed, enchained everybody's attention . even the peccant schoolmaster and_his pretended letters were forgotten, while the sapient Goliath, every time that he raised the spear, in_the energy of_his declamation, to thump upon_the stage, picked away fragments of_the low ceiling, which fell conspicuously on_his great shock of black hair . at last, with_the crowning threat, up went the spear for an astounding thump, and down came a large piece of_the ceiling, and with it--a shower of letters .

the confusion that ensued beggars all description .a general scramble took place, and in another moment twenty pairs of eyes, at_least, were feasting on_the choice phrases lavished upon Mr Horner . miss bangle had sat through_the whole previous scene, trembling for herself, although she had, as she supposed, guarded cunningly against exposure . she had needed no prophet to_tell her what must_be the result of atete-a-tete between Mr Horner and Ellen; and_the moment she saw them drive off together, she induced her imp to seize the opportunity of abstracting the whole parcel of letters from Mr Horner's desk; which he_did by_means of a sort of skill which comes by nature to such goblins; picking the lock by_the aid of a crooked nail, as neatly as_if he had_been born within_the shadow of_the Tombs .

but magicians sometimes suffer severely from_the malice with which_they_have themselves inspired their familiars .Joe Englehart having been a convenient tool thus far thought it quite time to torment miss bangle a little; so, having stolen the letters at her bidding, he hid them on_his own account, and no persuasions of hers could induce him to reveal this important secret, which he chose to reserve as a rod in_case she refused him some intercession with_his father, or some other accommodation, rendered necessary by his mischievous habits .

he had concealed the precious parcels in_the unfloored loft above the school- room, a place accessible only by_means of a small trap- door without staircase or ladder; and here he meant to_have kept them while it suited his purposes, but for_the untimely intrusion of_the weaver's beam .

miss bangle had sat through all, as we_have said, thinking the letters safe, yet vowing vengeance against her confederate for not allowing her to secure them by a satisfactory conflagration; and it_was not until she heard her own name whispered through_the crowd, that she was awakened to her true situation . the sagacity of_the low creatures whom she had despised showed them at once that_the letters must_be hers, since her character had_been pretty shrewdly guessed, and_the handwriting wore a more practised air than is usual among females in_the country . this_was first taken for granted, and then spoken of as an acknowledged fact .

the assembly moved like the heavings of a troubled sea . everybody felt that_this was everybody's business ." put her out ! " was heard from more than one rough voice near the door, and this_was responded to by loud and angry murmurs from within .

Mr Englehart, not waiting to inquire into_the merits of_the case in_this scene of confusion, hastened to_get his family out as quietly and as quickly as possible, but groans and hisses followed his niece as she hung half-fainting on_his arm, quailing completely beneath the instinctive indignation of_the rustic public . as she passed out, a yell resounded among_the rude boys about_the door, and she was lifted into a sleigh, insensible from terror . she disappeared from_that evening, and no one knew the time of her final departure for " the east ."

Mr Kingsbury, who_is a just man when he_is_not in a passion, made all the reparation in_his power for_his harsh and ill- considered attack upon_the master; and we believe that functionary did_not show any traits of implacability of character . at_least he_was seen, not many days after, sitting peaceably at tea with Mr Kingsbury, aunt sally, and miss Ellen; and he has since gone home to build a house upon his farm . and people do say, that after a few_months more, Ellen will not need miss bangle's intervention if she should_see fit to correspond with_the schoolmaster .

Section [1 | 2]