Легенда о Сонной Лощине
Found Among The Papers Of The Late Diedrich Knickerbocker.
Thus,bydiverslittlemakeshifts,inthatingeniouswaywhichiscommonlydenominated“byhookandbycrook,”theworthypedagoguegotontolerablyenough,andwasthought,byallwhounderstoodnothingofthelaborofheadwork,tohaveawonderfullyeasylifeofit.
Theschoolmasterisgenerallyamanofsomeimportanceinthefemalecircleofaruralneighborhood;beingconsideredakindofidle,gentlemanlikepersonage,ofvastlysuperiortasteandaccomplishmentstotheroughcountryswains,and,indeed,inferiorinlearningonlytotheparson.Hisappearance,therefore,isapttooccasionsomelittlestiratthetea-tableofafarmhouse,andtheadditionofasupernumerarydishofcakesorsweetmeats,or,peradventure,theparadeofasilverteapot.Ourmanofletters,therefore,waspeculiarlyhappyinthesmilesofallthecountrydamsels.Howhewouldfigureamongtheminthechurchyard,betweenservicesonSundays;gatheringgrapesforthemfromthewildvinesthatoverranthesurroundingtrees;recitingfortheiramusementalltheepitaphsonthetombstones;orsauntering,withawholebevyofthem,alongthebanksoftheadjacentmillpond;whilethemorebashfulcountrybumpkinshungsheepishlyback,envyinghissuperioreleganceandaddress.
Fromhishalf-itinerantlife,also,hewasakindoftravellinggazette,carryingthewholebudgetoflocalgossipfromhousetohouse,sothathisappearancewasalwaysgreetedwithsatisfaction.
