Western Reserve chronicle. [volume] (Warren, Ohio) 1855-1921, 1872-03-13
A TEACHERS INFLUENCE.
BY MARY A.P HUMPHREY.

AbOuls 4 ne DdTe Wits were EullIles
of whitewash, and the knife-marl
on desks and benehes-like tho.
strange exhumed bird tracks of I'll
Old Red Sandstone-shOwed whel
the first rude outlines had been trace
of many life hidden, long ago, nndG
IS the debris of years.
Across the lower half of every win
dow square of faded green baize ha
been tackled closely to the easement
lest some pair of child-eyes, heav
with reviewing the endless lines mai
shaled in tedious uniformity on bool
or slate, should rest awhile upon tn
blessed contrast of green fields an,
gurgling waters.
Miss Warnings eyes darkened will
quiet indignation. As if a school
room was prison? As if one lessor
from springing grass, and spreading
tree-reaching up to the liie-givinI
sunshine-one element of modes
beauty in meadow lily and wild rose
bud, of happy trust in tender bird
pTOvident squirrel, or care-free Lutter
fly, could be spared from the place
where young minds should learn how
to expand and grow, young hearts to
aspire and yet be humble, young
lives to assume the divinely appointed
relations of laith and work.
But the school-rOOm, like many
other things of sufficiently unpromis-
ing exterior, was rich in possibilities.
Miss Waring made a rapid inventory
Ofsuch intangible wealth, and nodded
to herself from her little chair of state
upon the platform.
The offending baise, its faded ugli-
ness veiled by short curtains of cheap,
white muslin, might be made 10 do
good service higher up the windows,
in softening the glare of the midday
sunshine. The broad window inches
gave ample room for pots of ivy, wan
dering Jew, and Madeira vine, need
ing only time and care to imprOvise
festOOns and draperies more graceful
than the most elaborate designs of
/ the old tapestries.
Then, in her portfolio-for the little
/ school mistress thought with her eve
and hand-she remembered some IL
I Illuminated texts, bright as the pages
of an old missal sketches, too, in
pencil and cOlOrs, simple bits. which
the children could get at the heart of
waiting only to be framed with the
cones and willow-withes they would
be only too glad to gather for her on
the first half-hOliday. Their own
hands should help to weave and bind;
they should have voice in the hang
ing and general arrangement; for this
home making, she thought, like the
rest of the worlds work, must be
cooperative, if it were really to be
worth anything.
The sound of footsteps and voices
broke in upon her morning dream,
and the pleasant vision of the reno
waited room faded into the light of the
days duties.
The scholars came by twos and
threes, gathering in and about the
half-open door, with shy, curious
glances at the new teacher.
Children are the most unerring
physiognOmists, since no others are so
helplessly dependent upon the vary
ing moods, which leave unfailing
imprint on the face. A few bOlder
ventured inside, in advance of her
pleasant invitation to all. Two or
three offered little punches of Wild |
flowers, dewy and sweet, making her |
cheek flush with pleasure. Ever since /
she could remember, flowers had been /
her friends; she knew them by heart, |
and had q fancy more clearly defined |
than she would have been quite will /
ling to confess, that they, in turn,
understood her, when human SYM
pathy failed. The Germans call their
fragrance the speech of fiOwers."
Miss Waring placed her own eloquent /
treasures il cracked tumbler, which
a little girl found for her in the ante
room, and more than once, amid the
cares and anxieties of that first day."
their freshness and beauty entered
into her heart, and kept it strong.
you'll be apt to have some trouble
with Hal Thorn, the deacon's boy"
widow Moss, her hostess, had said to
her that morning, over the breakfast
coffee.
"He is a bad boy, then?"
"Yes; cares for nothing and nobody.
His father can't keep him in school
half the time. A smart lad, too,
and quick with his books, when he
chooses. How well remember the
Sunday his mother first led him into
He was scarcely more than
a baby, and so bright and pretty-the
people turned in their seats to get
second look at his laughing face.
Little she thought, poor woman, of
how he would be growing upw
Mrs. Thorn is not living, 1 think
heari ?'' said Miss Waring.
"Oh nol She died-let me think
It will be ten years come Christmas.
Hal must be fourteen-how the years
iy! The deacon never married again. |
went on the good woman, fairly
launched upon the tide of gossip. ,
'Mary-she's the eOldest-keepsh house.
Susan married a Falconer-her boy ,
will be in your A B G class. Steve
helps his father on the farm; he's the
ieacon right over, a real chip of the !
I'D block. Hal is the youngest"
Would it have been the same with
Hal if his mother had lived do you
hink ?"
Perhaps not. She was quiet
was Mrs Thorn, but it always i
eemed TO me as if her Don't went :
arther with the children than a
hrashing from their father. The !
leacon holds stiff rein. Why F! Hal
rot into a tussle with hatcher Barton's
Pete one day, and between them,
a stone crashed through ,
Reuben Browns plate glass. Hal
declared he didn't throw the stone,
,ut Pete's two little brothers swOre
hey saw him. The deacon said that J
f Hal would fight he wouldn't help
lin out of trouble, and he let him go !
all. !
Hal is quick as gunpowder, and
le isn't afraid of anybody when mis-
up. He was beach-nutting
ut in the wOOd-lOt, the day Squire
darlOw's cattle broke into his twenty :
ere wheat-field. They did round !
hundred dollars damage. I'd been
yer to the deacon's of an errand, and
vas just coming down the front Z
walk, when the squire came tearing !.
yer, accusing Hal of letting down !
be fence. l wish you could have
cen that boy, Miss Waring He =
TODD up, pale as death, and his eyes :
Ike two lires.
al didn't let down your fence,
quire Marlow,m says he, right before y
lis father and Steve, "but 1 wouldn't 1
ave cared if had, and the best wish
can make you is that your cattle have
aten Up five times the worth of b
'iddy Larry's COW that you took k
Dr rent last winter, and little Patsy &
ying!" u
"If you'll believe it, Miss Waring, b
be squire turned as red as cock C
omb, and rode off without another C
1Ord. l believe the deacon wasn't Il
Il 4 = -