OCR Text |
Show THE UINTAH BASIN FARMER mlmm It would be correlated with rural It would get education out of the life. things the farmers and farmers wives rwb(at$uU3c JENNIE IN POLITICS SYNOPSIS Jennie Woodruff marry Jim Irwin, young farm hand, because his financial condition and poor of pros-pectHe Is above his station, Intellectually and has advanced Ideas concerning the possibilities of school teaching and farming, for which he is ridiculed by many. In short, Jim is an off ox. He flocks by himself and reads books and has a philosophy of his own. But there are latent powers in him unsuspected even by himself and comes knocking at hisOpportunity is nominated for schooldoor. Jim teacher, as a Joke. The joke results in his election. He visits his scholars. refuses to s. CHAPTER IV Continued. Jennie looked serious, after smothering a laugh. Jim, said she, youre going to have a hard enough time to succeed In the Woodruff school, If you confine yourself to methods that have been tested, and found good. But the' old methods, urged Jim, have been tested and found bad. Shall I keep to them? They have made the American people what they are," said Jennie. Dont be unpatriotic, Jim. They have educated our farm children for the cities, said Jim. This county Is losing population and its the best county In the world. Pessimism never wins, said Jen- embarrassed, passed among them, get nie. Neither does blindness, answered ting them enrolled, setting them to It is losing the farms their work, wasting much time and labor- Jim. and swelling the cities with dwellers, seain a ing like a heavy-lade- n barge a proletariat. way. For some time, now, Jim had ceased That fellerll never do, said Bonner to Bronson next day. Looks like to hold Jennies band ; and their sweeta tramp in the schoolroom. heart days had never seemed farther Wearin his best, 1 guess, said away. Bronson. Jim, said Jennie, I may be electHalf the kids call him Jim, " said ed to a position In which I shall be Bonner. obliged to pass on your acts as teacher in an official way, I mean. I hope Thats all right with me, replied Bronson. they will be justifiable." 1 lie room was as Jim smiled his slowest and saddest noisy as a caucus, was Bonners next indictment, smile. If theyre not, Ill not ask you to and the flure was all over corn like a hog-picondone them, said he. But first Oh I I dont suppose he can get away with it, assented Bronson disgustedly, but that boy of mine is as tickled as a colt with the whole thing. Says hes goin reglar this winter. That s because Jim dont keep no order, said Bonner. He lets Newt do as he pleases. First time hes ever pleased to do anything but deviltry, protested Bronson. Oh, I suppose Jiinll fall down, and well have to fire him but I wish we could git a good teacher that would git hold of Newt the way he seems to ! n. But, true to Iila belief In honest, thorough work, like a general preparing for battle, he examined his field of operations. His manner of doing this seemed to prove to Colonel Woodruff, who watched It with keen Interest as something new In the world, that Jim Irwin was possibly a Brown Mouse. But the colonel knew only a part of Jims performances. He saw Jim clothed in slickers, walking through , rainstorms to the houses In the WoodCHAPTER V ruff district, as greedy for every moI ment of rain as a haymaker for shine ; The Promotion of Jennie. and he knew that Jim made a great If Jennie Woodruff was the cause of many evening calls. . Jim Irwins sudden irruption into the But he did not know 'that Jim was educational field by her scoffing making what our sociologists call a Humph! at the idea of a farmsurvey. For that 'matter, neither did hands ever being able to marry, she Jim ; for books on sociology cost more also than 2T cents a volume, and Jim had knock gave him the opportunity to down the driver of the big never seen one. However, it was a To perceptibly elevate liiiu- be survey. tie .L and sure, had long Vhowti everybody In tlio opinion cjf the y w t, ti mo-torcu- r, nlctt ..... ... j 4i4jj colonel He knew which boys and girls were periniendent of schools, no better and back a lieutenant. His title of as a made was He conferred by appointment insubordinate. the political general no worse than wayward and a record of the advancement In their run of them, but he had local pride en- member of the staff of the governor, studies of all the children, and what listed in his cause, and was a good long years ago, when he was county auditor. He was not a rich man, as I they liked to read. He knew' their politician. with distalked He Woodruff may have suggested, but a well-to-d- o favorite' amusements. Mr. Dilly was in the their mothers and sisters not onabout trict to build a backfire against this farmer, whose wife did her own work the the time, not because the the school, to any extent, but conflagration of the county superin much of' not afford to hire help, could Jennie automobiles, colonel use the to the horses, He weather, expected tendent. reason the that hired girls and g machinery the Woodruff to light it withal. That is, but for the to were hard make get. while denying that he wished' to profits of farming. In candidate colonel, The having seen the glory or trade every deal Beally, though Jennie Woodruff did any to related such that how of the see doings coming of the Lord in the not every convention always says school work, Jim Irwins school was he wished to say to Miss Woodruff triumph of his side in the great war, running full blast In the homes of the "and her father, that If Miss Woodruff was inclined to think that all reform district and the minds of many pupils, would permit her name to be used for had ceased, and was a political standweeks and weeks before that day the office of county superintendent of patter a very honest and sincere one. when he called them to order on the schools, a goodly group of delegates Moreover, he was influential enough as Monday specified In his contract could be selected in the other comer so that when Mr. Cummins or Mr. school. of the first day of the county who would be glad to Dolllver came Into the county on posee to the came w'ho J. litical errands, Colonel Woodruff had Con Bonner, reciprocate any favors Mr. Charles of the of sentiments the voiced in the way opening, always been called into conference. He Dilly might receive balwas of the old New England type, beolder people when he condemned the votes for county treasurer To be sure, school as disorderly. lots for Miss Jennie Woodruff for su lieved very much in heredity, very much In the theory that whatever is there were more pupils enrolledInthan perintendent of schools. the on first a day entered ever Miss to as Is right, in so far as it has secured bad Mr. Dilly never inquired whole historv of the school, and It was Woodruffs abilities as an educator money or power. bard to accommodate them all. But That would have been eccentric. Miss A very respectable, honest, AmeriWoodruff never asked herself if she can tory was the colonel, fond of his knew anything about rural education IHilitical sway, and rather soured by which especially fitted her for the the fact that it was passing from him. . and He had now broken with Cummins and task; for was she not a popular successful teacher and w'as not that Dolllver as he had done years ago So are the officials chosen with Weaver and later with Larrabee enough? and this breach was very important who supervise and control the educaAmerica. of children farm to him, whether they were greatly contion of the When Jim Irwin started horde from cerned about it or not. his Such being her family history, Jenputting out his team the day after Jennie first call on the Simms family,e was something of a politician hernie conwas wraiting at the gate self. She was In no way surprised when approached by party managers gratulated on hr nomination. I hope youre elected, Jim said, on the subject of accepting the nomiholding the hand she had extended; nation for county superintendent of but theres no doubt of that. schools. Colonel Woodruff could debut ; Jennie not, replied They say liver some delegates to his daughter, father believes In working just as if though he rather shied at the prowe didnt have a big majority for the posal at first, but on thinking it over, ticket. Say a word for me when on warmed somewhat to the notion of your pastoral rounds. having a Woodruff on the county pay All right said Jim, what shall I roll once more. "That Feller'll Never Do." say youll do for the schools? said Jennie, rather perWhy. the directors criticism was leveled I want a new kind of rural be fair in my examinaTil plexed, of the air against the unfit the to keep try school, but I dont see any proschildren. Most of them had brought tions of teachers, visit of the schools, out pect com show teachers eed corn and a good-size- d and I as can, why, often as schools was on view. There was much argument as to the merits of the various what does any good, superintendent (TO BE CONTINUED.) entries. Instead of a language lesson dor never heard of a good county I Jim had given from the text-booComprehensive Apppeal. said Jim. examinaon an superintendent, based exercise car conductor called out street A them an Irheard of one why, Jim Never corn. of ears the of to the passengers standing In tion shrilly Will thtm in front plaze The number exercises of the little winI I aisles: don't believe there Is any such the with ont worked epr been so had move that tblm behind can to up, chaps persisted Jim, and If yon do take the places, of thlm In front an and kernels of com. One class in thing, say. youll be off the arithmetic calculated the percentage nq more thanasyou for thlm who are nayther in rest. Your system lave room behind? the to game butt piece and kernels at Inferior tip of better schools than front nor ns the grains In the middle of wont give of any the old sort and we we have the ear. House and Its Owner. kind. All the time, Jim Irwin, awkward need a new precept to all who bnild is, that Ob, Jim. Jim! Dreaming as ofI theMyowner and uncouth, clad In his should be an ornament to be practical cant Sunday suit and trying to hide behind yore doWhy mean you and not the house to the the house, of new kind by a you his Lincolnian smile the fact that he What owner. Cicero, pretty badly frightened and much rural school? dull silo-fillin- w-lt-h to-b- free-and-ea- sy k, -- ' full-size- d none-too-go- od 1 OUR COMIC SECTION are interested In as a part of their lives. When the Frost Is on the Window 10 mur 77 3 1 1 1 3 WHATS THE USE Murrv up A Pur Them up even Ju?r Tack, 'em win Thumb tacks Fishes The He Jumped ip bla-- t LUM AW too Tue are coming over and I want 'WINDOWS To Look -- NlCS, r ) ' I WJ stop mYiNe" To TALKWITh YOUR MOUTh FoLL F TACt J and HURRY UP JL |