The School Master’s Thesis.

The School Master’s Thesis.
281.1

And set his white teeth close together,
And gave his thin lips a short twist,
As to say. I could whly you, confound you,
Could such things be done with the fist.

There were two knowing girls in the corner,
Each one with some beauty possessed,
In a whisper discursing the problem.
Which one the young master liked best.

A class in the front with their readers
Were telling with difficult pains
How perished brave Marcos Bozzaris
While bleeding at all of his veins.

And a boy on the floor to be punished,
A statue of idleness stood.
Making faces at all of the others.
And enjoying the scene all he could.

Around were the walls gray and dingy.
Which every old school building hath,
With many a break on their surface,
Where grinned a wood grating of lath.

A patch of thick plaster just over
The schoolmaster’s rickety chair
Seemed threateningly o’er him suspended
Like Damocles’ sword by a hair.

There were tracks on the desks where the knife blades
Had wandered in search of their prey
Their tops were as duskliy spattered
As if they drank Ink every day.

The square stove it puffed and it crackled
And broke out in red flaming sores,
Till the great fron quadruped trembled
Like a dog fierce to rush out of doors.

White snowflakes looked in at the window
The gale pressed its lips to the cracks
And the children’s hot faces were streaming
The while they were freezing their backs.

Now Marcos Bozzaris had fallen
And all of his sufferings were o’er
And the class to their seats were retreating
When footsteps were heard at the door.

And five of the good district fathers
Marched into the room in a row
And stood themselves up by the hot fire
And shook off their white cloaks of snow.

And the spokesman, a grave squire of 60,
With countenance solemnly sad
Spoke thus while the children all listened
With all of the ears that they had:

“We’re come here, schoolmaster, intendin’
To cast an Inquirin’ eye ’round
Concernin’ complaints that’s been entered
An’ fault that’s lately been found.

“To nace off the width of your doin’s
And witness what you’ve here about
An’ see if it’s payin’ to keep you
Or whether we’d best turn you out.

“The first thing I’m bid fer to mention
Is when the class kits up to read
You give ’em too tight of a reinin’
Andoucher more then they need

“You’re nicer than wise in the matter
Of holdin’ the book in one han’
An’ you turn a stray & in their doin’s
An’ lack an odd D on their en’.

“”There ain’t no great good comes of sneakin’
The words o polite as I see
Providin’ you know what the facts is,
An’ tell ’em off just as they be.

“An’ then there’s that readin’ in concert
Is censured from first unto last,
It kicks up a heap of a racket
When folks is a travelin’ a past,

“Whatever is done as to readin’.
Providin’ things go to my say.
Shan’t hang on no new fangled hinges,
But swing in the old fashioned way.”

And the four good district fathers
Gave quick the consent that was due,
And nodded obligingly and muttered:
“Them ‘ere is my sentiments, tew.”

“”Then as to their spellin’. I’ve hearn tell
By them as has looked into this
That you turn the l’ out of your labour,
An’ make the word shorter than ’tis,