BUSH MEMORIES.

Dominion, Volume 4, Issue 1076, 15 March 1911, Page 8

BUSH MEMORIES.

SKETCHES FROM LIFE. I—THE SLAB-WHARE SCHOOL. . (By "Wi.") It had been built by a pioneer to serve the purpose of a private residence—a slab (vliare, not an inch of sawn timber anywhere, unpainted, shingle-roofed. The pioneer must have been a Sybarite, for he had insisted upon a flooring for his whare, a roughlicwil, undulating affair, with inartistic fissures, through which the wind moaned and sighed. There was also a ceiling, and this and tho walls wore papered with star items from tho Sydney "Bulletin," "Referee," the "Pink-'Un," and kindred literature. Ono end of the room was givcii up entirely lo the fireplace—a cavernous excavation in the hillside capable of accommodating a fire fit to roast an ox. A wooden chimney tower encompassed this furnace, but that was merely a compromise. The smoke trailed out of the top when the wind was in the right direction, and belched out of tho bottom when it was not. In the latter ease its progress was assisted by auxiliary draughts, which whistled shrilly through tho chimney cracks. Behind the whare stood the forested ridge, which divided the terraced flats of tho treacherous Mangahao from tho tho valley of the Manga- [ taiuoka. In front, the silent bush, with its furtive inhabitants. To the "left the distant Tararuas, while to the right was the winding hill road which led out to tho Main Road and comparative civilisation.

An Instalment of Culture. ' With tho passing of. years, the region was portioned out to certain hopeful settlers, a small but scattered community grew into being, and with it grew also tho demand for a first instalment of social betterment—a school for its untutored scions. A school district w-as duly proclaimed., and in the turmoil of electing a school committee and selecting .a school site, the first elements of local politics germinated. Peace, scandalised, departed, and the community boiled and fumed like a volcano. And while the belligerent politicians fought out the question of the school site—whether it should be in tho middle of the district or on the .other side of tho bridge, or down on the terraced flats—a slip of a girl came in and opened school in tho old slab whare. She stayed for a while, till tho place got on her nerves—it was no place for a woman—and then departed. The slab wharo stood empty.

The Tragedy, Anon there came a man teacher, a gentle, stricken-looking individual, stressed by the burden of some private affliction. He taught school for a month or so, and then, one morning, strolled quietly into the silent bush and cut his throat. The slab wharo school stood unpty for a long while after that. Thfi social culture of the community suffered a depressing set-back by the tragedy, and to the children the long interregnum was' not an unmixed blessing. After a season of agitation, however, the board sent up another teacher, a pretty little thing, with no idea of managing. Thecommittee worried her, and the boysyoung villains—used to bring mice, "walking sticks;" and all manner of horrid creeping thingvinto the school, and leavo them in places where subsequent discovery Was certain, but disconcerting. By and.by she, too, went away, and again the little slab whare school stood empty. _ The cause of education In the community was in sore straits. .Mpanwhjlrj,t!io" battle of the school sites had been fought, and won by subtle strategy. Just how it was won is another story. Anyway, a three-acre site was bought on the top of the ridge, and in due season a. contract was let for the building of the new school.

"Tha Master." It was just after the battle had been fought that "The Master" came riding into the settlement—a' little man on a big, tall horse—and took up the reins of scholastic government. "Sail in right away," said the chairman of the School Committee, as he handed over the keys of office. "We've 'ad one teacher after another in 'ere. and the school's bin shut 'alf its time. The kids 'avo run wild, and want shakin' up. We'll give you a free 'and if you'll only stop 'ere and get 'cm on a bit."

"Sure," said "The Master," and for 'the next three years ho was monarch of all ho surveyed. On the morning of the first day lie went down to the old slab whare," and gazed upon its battered exterior with .mixed feelings. Then he cast his eye about the log-paddock which ' constituted the school playground, at the green forest around, and, finally, unlocking the stout padlock which made a pretence of guarding the interior from alien intruders, stepped inside. The crazy "shack" trembled as ho strode across tho floor, and when he sat down the movable articles in the room rattled ceremoniously.

His Kingdom. "' .'. Regarding his new kingdom with curious eyes, ho saw before him a table, two .easels, one .-blackboard, an array of desks, a cupboard, some slates, a school-bag or two, a small hand-hell. Then ho went to the door again. Somewhere in the forest a dog barked, and the echoes awoke in the trees. The sound inspired a strange feeling of loneliness. He felt as if he,, in tho language -of Scripture, had been cut off from the laud of tho living. The feeling depressed him, and ho sought comfort in his pipe. The sudden snapping of a twig attracted his attention; ho looked quickly in the direction of tho fireplace, and as ho looked several pairs of curious eyes vanished from one of the gaping wounds in the chimney tower. .Bending forward, he percoived several pairs of red-brown legs flashing into tho bush beyond. "Advanced patrol of tho enemy in full retreat," he said to himself. So he reached'for tho bell, and, striding to the door, sent, a clanging crash of echoes into tho forest. From nowhere, apparently, there suddenly appeared in front of him two'lines of children, who gazed up at him in silent curiosity. Ho marched them into their scats, and sat down on his chair and surveyed them. They were shy of "Tho Master," as they called him, so shy that their eyes dropped under his gazo. But after two or three days, their roscrvo began to thaw, but only within the confines of the little Kingdom. If they saw him riding along the road they would break like seared rabbits for cover, and hide behind friendly logs. . Ho laughed at them, expostulated, and finally threatened to cane'thc next one who fled at his approach when he rode abroad. Tho School "Villain."

Onc day tho villain of tho school succumbed to his ruling; passion, aud took an unauthorised holiday. "Where is Barney," asked "The Master," as ho surveyed the morning parade. "Sick, sir," said one of tho absent one's brothers. "What's the matter with him?" "Bad cold, sir." "Ah—toll your mother I'll rido over and seo him after school." Thcro was a pause, during; which Barney's brother eyed "Tho Master" with mysterious concern. .'"Well—aro you ill, too?" "N—no. sir." "Well?" _ _ . "Please, sir, Barney ain't sick." "Well?" "'K's waegin' it, sir." "Oh! Well; go : and find him, and hrin<t him here,,"

"Dunno where 'e is, sir." "Find out." " 'E won't come for me, sir-." "Well—two of you go. Don't com* back without him." Two c!' them went. It was the first mission of the k<nd they hud ever set out upon, and they regarded it with mixed feelings. However, they found Barney, haled him, with much 'protesting, hack to school. "The Master" asked no questions. He simply took down a pliant supplejack, and administered a dose of disciplinary medicine, which kept Harney in the straight and narrow way for quite two months, tho largest spell of virtue in the young scamp's experience.