Rensselaer Semi-Weekly Republican, Volume 35, Number 46, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 13 February 1903 — Sunny Bank Farm [ARTICLE]

Sunny Bank Farm

BY FLOYD LIVINGSTON

iipgjßffiePTEß IV—(Continued.) < “bjever mind, sis,” said one of the nine. “Tea know most everything else, and Atave done bravely," |H as sure of my certificate then as I was fifteen minutes afterward, when K little slip of paper was given me, declaring me competent to teach a common . school. I thought it was all over, and fras adjusting mother's shawl and tying : M Juliet’s veil, when they asked me to, write something, that they might see a specimen of my penmanship. Taking the pen, I dashed off with a flourish "Bona Lee," at which I thought they peered more curiously than need be; and •ne of them—l>r. Clayton, a young man, and a handsome one, too —said something about its being “very poetical." : * The shadows of evening had long since (alien when we stopped at our door, Where we found mother anxiously awaiting ng. Very wistfully she looked in ■ty face ere she asked the important aaeatlon. T “Yes, I’ve got one.” said I, bounding from the buggy, “and I’d like to be examined every day, it's such fun." “Didn’t you miss a word?” asked JuRet “Oh, I’m so glad!” cried Lizzie. “Feel big, don't you 7” suggested ChnrBe, while Anna Inquired "if I’d lost her pocket handkerchief!” ■ ' CHAFTER V. Ere long, exaggerated rumors reached Bunny Bank of the very creditable man■er in which I had acquitted myself St the examination, whereupon Aunt Sally Wright was quite takeu aback. Soou rallying, however, site had recourse to her second prediction, which was that “1 should not teach more than half the summer o»tt.” Perhaps I wrong the old lady, hut I cannot help thinking that the illaatured stories concerning myself, which she set afloat nt Pine Hill, wore in a great measure the cause of her prophecy being fu filled. Never before, to my „ knowledge, had she visited at Captain V Thompson's, but now she spent an entire •«y there, bringing back to us the iutei- I - Mgenee that John Thompson, a boy Just one year my senior, was going to slay at home that summer, as “Miss Cnp’n Thainpaon hadn't no idee I could teach him." I Added to this was the comforting assurance that “Cap'n Thompson was hoppin’ mad because Mr. Randall hnd hired me in preference to his sister Dell, who had herself applied for the school.” This as I afterward learned, wns the secret of the dislike which, from the first, the Thompsons entertained for me. They had no daughter, but the captain's halfoister Dell had lived with him ever since ..Als marriage, and l>etween her and their •hopeful eon John the affections of'him•aeli and wife were nearly equally divided. Dell Thompson was a proud, overbenr£g girl, about eighteen years of age, who teemed herself far better than her neighbors, with whom she seldom associated, her acquaintances living mostly at what was called “the center” of the town. It seems that she had applied for the summer school, but remembering that she had once called him a “country clown •nd his wife ignorant and vulgar,.” Mr. Band all had refused her and accepted me- Notwithstanding that the people of Pine Hill generally disliked the Thompsons, there was among then) a feeling of fllssatisfaction when it became • known that I was preferred to Dell, for “it wasn’t every 'big bug’ who would stoop to teach.” I Of this state of affairs I was fortuJately ignorant, and never do I remem- , tr a happier morning than that on * rhlch I first took upon myself the re- , •poasibilities of a teacher. Ry sunrise Jthe little hair trunk, which grandma lent Mae, was packed and stood waiting on jthe doorstep. Grandma had suggested jthe propriety of lotting down my dresses *- s 'a movement which* I warmly aecouded j—hut mother said “No,” she didn’t like to see little girls dressed like grown-up women;” so, in my new plaid gingham I waited impatiently until the clock ■track seven, at which time father announced himself ready. "When will you come home?” asked as «ii« followed me to the gate. . . “In. three weeks,” was my reply, as I 'hounded into the buggy, which soon (moved away. A Pine Hill is not at all remarkable for beautiful scenery, and ns old Sorrel • trotted leisurely along, down one steep hill and up another, through a haunted swamp, and over a piece of road where .the little grassy ridges snid, as plain as •grassysridges could say, that the travelers there were few and far between, ray gpirita lowered a little. But, anon, the "fßospect brightened, and in the distance ■we saw the While walls of Captain .Thompson’s residence gleaming through the mass of evergreens which surrounded It Suddenly turning a curner, we came' •to a halt before one of those slautiug■oofed bouses so common iu New England. It was the home of Mr. Randall, •nd it was there that I was to board the first week. In the doorway, eating bread and molasses, Were his three children, ,«ho, the moment they saw us, set up a •bout of "somebody's come. I guess it’s the schoolma’am!” and straightway they •oak to their heels. I After a moment tlie largest of them ventured to return, and bis example was poet) followed by the other two, the sonnger of whom, after eying me asjkrnee, lisped out, “Don Thompson they* k* ain't afraid of yon: he cau lick you.” * Father inquired for Mrs. Randall, who, ,we learned, was sweeping -the school jlMmse. We set forward, and soon renchmil our place of destination, which, with ,tßt shade tree or ornament of any kind, ft tood half way up n long, sunny hill. We ! Wid Mrs. Randall enveloped in a cloud 'ofi dost, her sleeves rolled up, and her ffc»ad covered by a black silk handker- | “The room wasn't fit for the pigs,” she Mfi "ondcogght to Jr*™ .cleaned, >St sotnehdw nobody took any Interest fie school thi* summer, and I'd have to jpfeko It answer ” *v . • ft lldlArt care particularly for th# room, which, in truth, was dirty and disagree••We enough, but the words “nobody took y mg interest this summer,” affected me

unpleasantly, for in them I saw a dkn foreshadowißi bT all that ensued. Father, who was in a hurry, soon left me, bidding me “be a good girl, and not get to romping with the scholars.” From the window I watched him until he disappeared over the Baddy hill, half wishing that I and the little trunk were with him. I was roused from my reverie by Mrs. Randall, who inquisitively snid, “Ain't you -but thirteen?”. “No, ma’am,” I answered. “Waal,” she returned, "it bents all how much older you look. I should s'pose yon was full sixteen. But it’s all in your favor, and I guess you'll be more likely to suit the deestrict, though they're afraid you haven't any government, and they’re terribly hard to suit. So, if I was you.” she continued. “I'd hold a pretty tight rein at first. I give you full liberty to whip nty young ones if they don't behave. They know better than. Id eomplain at home.”

After sitting awhile, she arose to go, telling me “she should expect me at night,” and then I was alone. I looked at my watch; it was half past eight, and not a scholar ye>t. This was widely different from Sunny Bank, where, by sevi en, the house was generally filled with children, hallooing, quarreling over seats, and watching eagerly for the first sight of “the new schoolma’am.” Here the tables were turned, and the "schoolma’am” was watching for her scholars. Ten minutes of nine, and I began to grow fidgety. I should have been more so had I known how much is sometimes said about teachers not keeping their hours. Five minutes of nine, and round the corner at the foot of the hill appeared a group of children, while from another direction came others, shouting for those in advance to “wait,” which they did, and the whole entered the house together. A few of the girls made a slight obeisance, while the boys laughed, and throwing down their books in a very consequential manner, looked distrustfully at me. My age had preceded me, and in many of these childish hearts there was already a spirit oT" rebellion. On opening my desk I found inscribed upon the lid, iu a bold schoolboy style, “Rosa Lee, aged 13,” to which was appended, in a more delicate hand, “Ancient —very!” Taking my India rubber, I erased it while my scholars were settling the matter of seats. Then there ensued a perfect silence, and the eyes of all present turned inquiringly upon me, while, with sundry flourishes with my silver pencil, I proceeded to take down upon a big sheet of foolscap the names, ages and “what studies do you intend to pursue!” of tpy pupiles. much talking and arranging, the school was organized; but the first morning dragged heavily, and when twelve o’clock came, and I drew from my satchel the nice ginger snaps which my mother had made, they choked me so much that I was obliged to wink hard, and count the rows of trees in the orchard opposite twice, ere I could answer the question addressed to me by one of the little girls.

In the rear of the hoese was a long strip of dense woods, and wishing to be alene, I tok my bonnet and wondered thither. Seating myself upon a mossy log, I tried to fancy that I was at home beneath the dear old grapevine. But it could not be. I was a school mistress. Miss Lee they called me, and on my brow the shadows of life were thus early making their impress. Slowly to me dragged the hour which always before had been so short, and when at last I took my way back to school, it seemed that in that short space I had lived an age.

As I approached the school house I saw that something was the matter, for the scholars were greatly excited. 1 hastened forward; but it was with difficulty that I could learn the cause of the commotion. George Randall was crying, while a little apart from him stood two boys, one of them apparently fourteen and the other twelve. They were strangers to me, and instinctively I felt that they were in some way connected with the disturbance, and that the larger and more important looking was John Thompson—a surmise Which proved to be correct. It seemed that Isaac Ross, one of the new-comers, had some weeks before selected for himself a corner seat, which, as he was not present in tlft morning, had been taken by George Randall, who knew nothing of Isaac's intentions, and who now refused to give it up. A fight was the result, the most of the scholars taking sides with George, while Isaac wap urged on and encouraged by John Thompson, who, though not a pupil, had come up “to see how he liked the new schoolma’am.” As a matter jof course, an appeal was made to me, to know “if George hadn’t the best right to the seat.” Perhaps I was wrong; but I decided that he had, at the same tiiue asking Isaac “if he were coming to school.” j “I ain't goin’ to do anything else,” said j lie, glancing toward John, who, with a I ■wicked leer at me. knocked off one of tlie j little boys’ hats and throw It up in tho air.

What would have ensued next I do not know, for at that moment Captain Thompson rode round the corner and called to J)is son. who, with mock deference, bowed politely to me and walked away. Disagreeable ns Isaac Rosa appeared in the presence of John Thompson, I found that when left to kiihnelf he was quite a different bdy; and though he at first manifested some reluctance to taking another seat, he at Inst yielded the point, and for the remainder of the day conducted himself with perfect propriety. On the whole, the afternoon passed away rather pleasantly, and at night, when school waa out, I started for my boarding place quite contented. In passing the different houses which stood upon the roadside, I demeaned myself with the utmost dignity, swinging my short dress from side to side In imitation of a Jjtoston Igdx. who had one* taught in oiar district, and whose manner ot walking I greatly admired. From the window of: Captain Thompson's dwelling I caught a lllmpivMf faces, which were hastily withdrawn, bat I felt sure that from behind tls curtains they were scanning my appearance, and I' remember lowering my parasol a little, just to tantalise

t(em. But when at last I was over the hilt and out ofslyht, oh, how glad I wsft to be Rosa Lee again, free to pluck the sweet wild flowers, to watch the little fishes in the running brook, or even to eheae a bumblebee if t Hired." About fifty rods from Mr. Randall’s Stands one of those old-fashioned gableroofed houses so common In some parts of New England, and here, at the time of which I am speaking, lived Mrs. Ross, the mother of Isaac—or Ike, as be was familiarly called. I had never met the lady; but as I approached the house and «rwn tßlt.square-shouTffered wSman leaning on the gate, 1 naturally thought that it (night be she; and on this point I was not long left in doubt, for the rao-_ meat I came within speaking distance she called out: “How dy’ do. Miss Lee —I s'pose ’tis? You pretty well? I’m Miss Ross, Isick’s mother. He tclled me that he had some fuss about a seat that he picked out more’u a month ago, and thinks he orto have. I don’tjaever calkerlate to take; sides with my children, ’cause I’ve kept school .myself, and I know how bad 'tis; but I do hate to have laick git a miff agin the scoholma’am on the first start?, and if I’s you I’d let him have the seat instead of George Randall, for rnebby folks’ll say you’re partial to George, bein’ that his father’s committeeman.” As well as I could, I explained the matter to her, telling her I wished to do right, and meant to as far as I knew how. “I presume yon do,” said she, “or I shouldn’t ’a taken the liberty to speak to you. I knew you’s young, and I felt afeared you didn’t know what an undertakin’ it was to teach the young idee how to ‘shute.’ The schoolma’ams have always thought a sight o’ me, and generally tell me all their troubles, so I know jest how to take their part when the rest of the folka are ag’in ’em. Was Susan Brown to school ? But she wasn’t, though, I know she wasn’t.” I replied that there was a little girl present of that name, and my companion continued: “Now I’ll give up, if Miss Brown lias come round enough to send, when she was so dreadfully opposed to your teachin’. You’ve heerd about it, I s’pose?” I answered that “I didn’t know that any one hnd opposed me except Mr, Thompson.” “Oh, yes,” said she, assuming an injured look and tone. “Everybody knows nbont that, and there’s some sense in their bein’ mad, for ’twas plaguey inortifyin’ to Dell to offer to teach and bo rejected by Mr. Randall, a man that none o' the Thompsons would wipe their old shoes on, and thqp, ’tisn’t every big hug that will stoop to teach—for you know ’tuin’t considered fust cut.”

“No, I didn't know it,” and so I said; but she assured me of the fact, quoting as authority bath Mrs. Thompson ana Dell, who, I found, were her oracles in everything. After a time I brought her back to Mrs. Brown, whose husband, she said, was gone to sea, and who had herself applied for the school. . “But between you and me," she added, speaking in a whisper, “it’s a mightygood thing that she didn’t get it, for she ain’t the likeliest person that ever was, and nobody under the sun would have sent to her. Isick shouldn’t a gone a single day. But, land sakes! how I’m talkin’! You must not breathe a word I say, for I make it a p’int not to slander my neighbors, and if everybody minded their business as well as I do, there wouldn’t be so much back-bitin’ as there is. And that makes me think I’ve hud a mind to caution you; but no, I guess I won’t —mebby you’ll tell on’t.” Of course my curiosity was roused, and of course I said I wouldn’t tell: where* upon she proceeded to inform me that Mrs. Randall was a very talkin’ woman, and I must be pretty careful in J>er presence. “You can tell me anything you wish to,” said she, “for I’m a master hand to keep a secret; but Miss Randall is forever in hot water. She an’ Miss Brown are hand in glove, and both on ’em turn up their noses at Miss Thompson and Dell, who never pretend to make anything of ’em. I’m considerable intimate at the captain’s, and I know all abont it. Dell is smart as a steel trap, and it’s a pity she’s took such a dislike to you.” “I don’t think she ought to blame me,” said I, “for I didn’t know as she wanted the school ”

“ ’Tain’t that altogether,” resumed Mrs. Ross, again speaking in a whisper. “ ’Tain’t that altogether; and if you’ll never lisp a word on’t, I’ll tell ycu the hull story.” I gave the required promise, and then Mrs. Ross proceeded to inform me that Dell was jealous of me. “Jealous!” I exclaimed. “How can that be?” “You remember Doctor Clayton, don’t you?” snid she. “Dell’s kinder settin’ her cap for him, nnd 1 guess lie’s a snickerin’ notion after her. Anyway, he. comes there pretty often. Well, he was there the week after the examination, nnd told ’em about you. He snid you was bright as a new guinea, and had better lamin’ than half the teachers, and then you had such a sweet name—Rosa —he liked it. You orto have seen how mad Dell was at you nfter ho was gone.” Here Ike called out that “the Johnnycake was burned blacker than liis hat,” and forthwith Mrs. Ross started for the house, first bidding me “keep dark,” and telling me she hoped “I wouldn’t be partial to Mr. Randall’s children, for they needed lickin’ if ever young ones did—they wam’t brought up like Isick, who was governed so well cit home that he didn’t need it at school.” I was learning to read the world's great book fast, very fast; and with a slightly heavy heart 1 turned away, pausing once while Mrs. Ross, from the doorstep, called to me, saying that “she guessed I’d better give Isick the seat to-mor-row, seein’ his heart wns set on’t."

I found Mrs. Randall waiting to receive me in a clean gingham dress and apron, with her round, good-humored face shining as if it bad been through the same process with the long fine of snow-white linen which was swinging in the clothes yard. The little hair trunk had been removed to the “best room,” which was to be mine. The big rocking chair waa brought out for me; the round tea table, nicely spread, stood in tho center of tha floor, and Mrs. Randall hoped 1 would make myself at home. Without any intention of revealing what Mrs. Ross had imparted to me, I still felt a great curiosity to know Mrs. Randall's opinion of her; so, after a time, I ventured to speak M my having aeen her, aud to ask when and where ahe taught school. With a merry laugh, Mrs. Randall replied: "Her keeping school amounts to this;

When she was a girl, a friend ot hers who was teaching wanted to go away for two days, and got Miss Ross, then Nancy Smedley, to take her place, and that’s the long and short of her experience. She’s "a'meddlesome woman, and makes more trouble In the district than anybody else. She tried to make Miss Brown think she was misused because she wouldn’t hire her instead of you, who applied first, and for a spell 1 guess Miss Brown was a little sideways; but she’s a sensible woman and has got all overall. (To be continned.)