The Middlebury register. [volume] (Middlebury, Vt.) 1850-1882, 1867-07-16

walked around through the desks to
see to the different tasks. johnny Day
was studying with his primer upside down
and Mollie Jones was sketching impossible
men and women on her slate, instead of
doing examples out Of Greenleats Common
School. But the primer was right side
up before 'thc teacher got quite to
Johnny's seat, and MolIie meekly asked
how many times three went into seventeen
when | came up to her.
The afternoon passed quickly away,
and the children seemed unusually good,
even johnny Day forgot TO say Ca
horse, and Katie Smith wanted Miss
Blake's' attention only five or six times
instead of twenty. At four O'Clock the
children said goodbye and trudged off
merriy, for to morrow was Saturday and
a whole holiday.
On Monlay afternoon Katie and |
were on our way to 'her house, she must
have hold of my hand all the way, more
to assure herself that [ was really beside
her than for any fear that | might lose
the road. which reason she was pleased
to give for the demonstration. She was
radiant in a new calico dress with her
hair braided behind into two little pigtails
and tied with ribbon that was probably
pink when her mother was Il girl. She
coull scarcely contain herself for joy; for
she knew well enough that things at home
would be extra nice this week; there
would lie plenty of cake in the house the
jell and plum sass would be opened and
she woult have liberal share of the
good things and perhaps she could sit
beside the teacher at the table. Jenny
Rice, who lives near Mr. Smiths, gallant
ly offered to carry my bag when we left
the school-house, and under my little
escort | was soon at the house, receiving
Mrs Smiths warm welcome.
Hot day, amt it Make yourself to
hum, Miss Blake we amt got things
quite as smart as some folks, may be, bul
| guess you'll get along with us. Here,
Kate, you take Mis- Blakc's things into
the room and show her the way, and see
you don't call her Mrs. Blake again
to day
Katie led the way into small room
off the kitchen, which soon found was
both parlor and best bedroom in one.
'Mrs-Mss Blake, this is your room,'
said Katie, throwing my hat upon the
floor, with my shawl on top oil it; and
off -he ran to play with her baby brother,
leaving me to look about ME.
1t was quite a cheerful little room,
with one large window in it. | mention
this latter fact because mt Mr.. Clarkes
my room had II window in it only foot
square, and that looked into a pantry.
shall never forget the first morning
when the noise OF the family awakened
me, for good sol could not find n Granny
or knot hole through which TO come in
and do that kindly office for me. in
stinctively looked at the window; no
green hills Or li,lds caught my eye only
Il pair of camille molds, pickle j and
tin pepper box on the top shelf of the
pantry.
i he furniture was of the humblest
kind; Il tew chairs, bed and bureau,
AMI on the wall Mr. and Mrs Smiths
mlrriagc certificate framed with running
pine, and a looking gllss. One thing
more must not neglect to mention: II
little wash bowl and pitcher, which stood
On table near the foot of the bed. And
well might Ircjoice at the sight of these,
for during my stay here had only once
before met with such luxurics. have
gen rally been introduced TO tin basin
which stood, either out by the pump or
on n block under the woodshed, and
find It isn't the pleasantest thing in the
world TO prelorm ones ablu.ions in the
presence OF number of urchins who
stand with eyes and mouth wi le open, as
though it was most wonderful sight to
see the teacher wash her face, and one
not to be lost on ary account. Then,
was not alway fortunate enough to find
even Il TIN basin, Tor when l staid with
Mrs. Todd she brought me a little iron
kettle instead, with :'AliSs Blake, we amt
got no tin basin, but our folks uses this,
and it does just as well and tin costs SO
much, you know.
But to come back to Mr.. Smiths L
lifted the pitcher to pour some water, and
said to myself You'll have to use this
very carefully for the handle was crack
ed across the top, and every time |
attempted tU raise 1t by this alone. il gave
forth that peculiar creak which said plain
enough 'handle with care The bowl
too had u great circular crack in the bot
tom OF it, suggestive of water, a cold
night, and somebody's carelessness. .But
it didn't leak, and every time | washed
my face in that cracked bowl, and not
without fears lest the bottom should drop
out, or lift the lame pitcher by the nose,
which, strange TO say, was neither broken
nor cracked, | thanked Mr.. and Mrs
Smith tor sparing me from basin or "A
'klttle, and said mentally, 'Blest be the
man who first invented washbowls.'
That week on the whole, was a very
pleasant one Mrs Smith was good
little housekeeper, though she persisted in
following the general custom of the place,
in giving ms cake and pies, with an endless
variety of pickles, for breakfast, while
for tea we had boiled pork and garden
sass Then, she was not so inquisiiive
as most of her neishbors indeed, it re-
member rightly, she did not ask me how
old | was until the fourth day
1 Al.