The St. Cloud journal. [volume] (St. Cloud, Minn.) 1866-1876, 1869-02-11
MARGARET MERLYN.
WRITTEN FOR THE ST. CLOUD JOURNAL,
BY MRS. JANE G. swIssHELM. .
CHAPTER XIX.
A MODEL sCuO0LM1sTprss

A MODEL SCIIOOLMIsTRESS.
When Margaret became conscious,
she looked around on the rough board
walls Of room, built in banacks FASH
ion, and covered with whitewasb, and
out through window on the tops of
Ieatless trees and the open sky. The
room was large, contained some twenty
beds, ranged on each side, and several
of them appeared to be occupied. She
heard strange sound, of sharp me-.
tallio voice. After listening sometime,
she became aware Of other and: very
different voices, and know that she: lis
tened to recitation in school. Filled
with wonder, she raised her head and
looked around, but only the beds and
their Quiet occupants were in view
Then she learned that. the sounds came
from q room below. What had hap
pened? Where could she be, and how
long had she been here? 1t was some:
time before any -~onc came to answer
these questions; then door at the end
of the room opened and lady walked
10. She wore spectacles, intended to
correct short:sightedness, and WI ich
made her black eyes appear prominent.
She was above medium height, neatly
dressed, and had about her au air of
sweetness and repose, of dignity and: re-
tinement, such as We naturally associate
with drawing rooms where wealth and
culture meet. On observing Marga-
rct's look of intelligence: she came TO
her at once with a sweet smile and
pleasant words, and answered her fee
bic inquiries by assuring her she was
with friends, and must be quiet and not
talk. She had a bowl Of warm panado,
and after giving her from a spoon as
much as che would take, rinscd the
spoon carefully, said she would. send
some one to her soon, and passing to
the occupied beds divided her atten-
tions and panado very impa:tially, ex-
cept at one bed occupied by child,
whom she addressed as "Peter." He
appeared to be about four years old and
his bed she spent some time in max
ing presentable, with an air.. Margaret
thought, Of getting it ready for inspec-
ton. While thus engaged, an old COL
ored woman, whom she called ftBecky,"
came and assisted her: Aunt :; Becky
in turn addressed her as Mrs ;Wold;"
and her presence diHused an air = Of
comfort through the bare unearpcted
room, whose only furniture was the
beds.
While the two we're occupied about
Peter, Margaret became aware that
school was being dismissed, and even
then she observed the quietude Of the
proceeding. Not word was spoken
except in the clear, decisive tones
which had just caught her ear, OF in
brief and low replies. -. There was no
schufling oflittle feet, impatient to get
home nontag,": or sly banter, OF drop.
ping Of books hastily caught up. One
by one the pupils passed out aud ali be-
came silent as the grave. There was
no shout Of. jubilee at the door, no
rompipg Or wrestling, no singing, whist:
ling; none of !: the donnonistriatioaisi-1 ::by
which children usually indemnify them
selves for the restraints Of the school
room She was evidently in the house
with a model school, but where was it,
aud how did she get here?
AS she revolved these questions, she
heard the teacher close her desk, set
back her chair, and pace back and
forth in the room below. She knew it
was the teacher, tor every motion cor
responded to that cold,. clear, decisive
voice. Short, sharp, metallic was ev-
cry sound. They passed to the door,
out Of it, up the stairway, and every
other sound. ceased Or was hushed to 4
whisper asit approached. : The dry
leaves on the trees BY. the: open window
appeared to stop rustling.. A: >bslated
grasshopper, which, h,.d:been b, plying his
fiddle bow, stopped at once. Mrs.
Void paled slightly and spoke in =
hurried whisper to Aunt : Becky, who
was disposing of the soiled clothing
which had been removed from Peters
bed, putting it into as smalla. compass
az possible, and couoea'ing it under the
cover at the corner Of the poor straw