Oxford Democrat. [volume] (Paris, Me.) 1833-1933, 1870-08-26
Selett Storp.
MY PRIVATE SCHOOL.

Look at THAR cried my grandmother,
striking an attitude worthy of Lady Mac
beth when she addressed the fatal spot on
her head; this time, however, it was only
the scissors, which in falling stood up
right in the floor.
Il see. It's nothing uncommon, is it?
Did you ever know il to happen that a
stranger didn't come before the day was
out?'
Il never noticed somebody was always
coming for the matter OF that
Il tell you that sign don't never fail,
(my grandmother always used double
negatives when she meant to be emphat-
ic y most others will, but that's true as 4
book. And another thing. there was 4
stranger in my tea tonight, long one
that shows it's man that's comm. Some
folks set a great deal by that sign; but il
aint to bc mentioned in the same day
with the scissors standing up in the floor.
Il hope he will como soon, for the
storm will be here before him. and with
the words the wind went wailing round
the house, and the first big drops beat
against the window-pane.
Three score years and ten had not taken
the first bloom from the romance oil my
grandmother's character; it was fresh and
green as in her girlhood. Beggars heard
of her alar off, and ran to fail on the neck
OF her charity.
She followed the advice Of Lamb, with.
out ever having read it. When poor
creature came before her she staid not to
INQUIRE whether the seven small children
in whose name he implored herassistance,
had yeritable existence, but cast her
bread upon the waters and lived in faith.
In fact, she had cast SO much bread
upon the waters in the course oil her long
life, and so small 4 proportion had come
back to her, that she had nothing left for
herself except the old farm and the gam
brel rooted house.
Within its walls my father had first
seen the light. and lived till he went on,
10 fight the world. He fell early in the
strife, and my mother soon followed him
but not until she had marked out my way
in life, and so fixed me in the groove oil
her ideas that had no choice left. Invent
to a village academy till | was old enough
to enter the Normal School, for my des-
tiny was 10 be teacher. My little in
home had to be cked out in some way
and of all work 10 which women may
turn her hand, school, perhaps, divides
tho burden most equally between body
and mind.
When | graduated my grandmother
le1 the old gambrel.root to see me do it,
and carriedm me home with her for a'brcath'
in spell Gas she said) before getting q
place to teach.
As to my future, was neither happy
nor unhappy life runs on with very little
frictions; there is excitement enough in
mere youth to make living pleasure.
The evening drew on with ever increas'
ing gusts OF wind, and the old house
shook to its foundations, but it clung gal
lantly to the great central chimney, which,
being nearly as broad as it was high,
could afford to be indifferent, when wind
ana weather came to blows and made 4
night of it.
Il hope you don't mean to sit up for
that somebody who is coming. All signs
fail in wet weather.
The words were scarcely spoken when
we heard the tread of horse running al
speed down the steep hill above the
house, then crash of the fence and al
was still.
We held our breath and listened. Soor
mans step sounded low and heavy or
the walk. and my grandmother rushed tc
open the door.
Don't he scarf said the familiar voice
OF one Of our neighbors, and he stumbled
in, carrying a man, pale and lifeless, ir
his arms.
Lay him right on the lounge-get tho
camphor bottle-here's somebody, sure
enough-Dont tell me again that sigr
ever fails. Who is il, JobT