Litchfield enquirer., 1875-07-29
and they walked on together.

and they walked on together.
 l "I am afraid 1t will never be very fa- nous school" she said, in answer to a laudatory remark of his, in which he had declared the school was fourishing ssfa- mously." 'I don't do nearly as well as ] ought to do." l "Well, all know is that Pete and liar. | ry are learning more than was ever taught me. at their age, and better, too. You ought to hear the way Pete talks about you Timothy's face glowed as he spoke.
 ''You mus Tt tell me, because I think I'm very partial to him, now. And you know anything like compliment con quers woman"
 "Do you think SOP" asked Timothy, ap- parently much impressed by this state ment- Then, by some hidden connection of ideas, he was led to ask If she were coming back another autumn. Perhaps he thought 1t expedient to defer until then something he had been about to say.
 '1 can't possibly tell about that" an- sWered Marnie. '.1t's whole year. ''Shll, it's pleasant around here: don't you think so?. Don't you like it better than you did?''
 ''Yes, you've all been very kind to me. But don't think could stay another year. ought to go away somewhere, and learn more. I don't know enough to teach school-as it ought to be done.'' Timothy looked up at her. Her eyes were cast down, and she seemed weary. A vivid expression of vindication and re- assurance enlivened his face, and he spoke out strongly. ':H you ant satisfied" he sad, 'I don't know who's right to be- But there's such a thing as getting too much learning. I'm kind of friend to book, Miss Weston, you know. re- spect 1t. even if don't know all that's in- side of It. But there IS such a thing as getting too much book learning"
 H you had tried teaching, Timothy, you might know better what I mean. And there are people that have such great ideas about education, 1t makes me almost ashamed of my school to think of them. D
 Perhaps you'd rather be in the high school over at Blueberry, then" suggest ed Timothy, with ready local sensitive ness.
 ''Oh no, I don't mean that at all" re- plled Marnie.
 Timothy gave it up, and relapsed into silence. He grew more and more depress- ed, apparently, as they walked on. The early autumnal dusk gathered rapidly about them, and in its dubious light Mar nle imagined that the young farmers am- pie face showed signs of secret sorrow which she ought to have observed before. There was an inclination to hoIlowness in the cheeks, she thought, and a wasted look under the eyes. She began to pity hlm, she scarcely knew why. That nnde- fined apprehension of some failure in him. which she had once before felt. came uD to her again. But when they entered the house, and drew within the circle of the evening lamps warm radiance, she was persuaded that nothing i'll had befallen nm, for he looked again as hale as ever, now. He was little thin. perhaps, but that might have been because he had worked too hard in the sun.
 The drowsy days of autumn stole away quietly. After while, Marnie became aware of greater streaks and segments of iustrous blue visible through the lrregu- lar inclosures made by the winding and Hdao morning, Jlfst as Marine reached the school-house door, a horseman, com ing along the road from Hollowdale, stop ped to water his animal at the little pool. above which the ruinous trough now rose dry and decrepit, and found that the horses hoofs had first to break a thin shell of ice before the silent sweetness of the stream gurgled up into sight As lie approached, Mamie thought there was something familiar in his appearance. To be sure, 1t was Mir. Halliburton! In an instant, however. he had drawn near enough for her to see 1t was not he, after all. She looked at his horse drinking. and watched him mount the little Hdge. There was pretty flush upon her cheeks. as if the autumn air had smitten them with un- expected sharpness; and thus she stood listening, until the sound of the now in visible hoEse's gallop lost itself in far oil, mutfied rhythm Winter followed speedily upon the riders heels.
 On certain Saturday, some two months later. little Pete Fayrewether was engaged Tn play. on patch work rug in one corner of the sitting groom. His mother was at work on short pair of trousers that dan gled helplessly over her lap. but she con- versed at the same time with her son Tim othy, in low tones. At length the height. ened pitch of Timothy's voice attracted Pete's notice
 ''I tell you it ant any use, mother" he was saying. ''She does n't like the place. Shes always talking about going away; and I"-
 AH0 uOOI OA tHe room was 1USt then opened. and Marnie came in, looking somewhat paler than formerly. Timothy suddenly broke of what he was saying, and appeared very much confused. He put hls hands Tn his pockets and showed tendency to reel about gently on the heels of his boots without, however, act ually doing so. Pete had sometimes mo- ticed. before, that grown people were apt tn Eo Tr,&S1 |, l. II- unexpected entrance of some additional person into their company. But, never having experienced this embarrassment himself, he was at loss to account for it. He was soon diverted from this point, however, by the discovery that Marnie was going to see little Nettie. one of his schoolfriends, who had fallen sick. Pete thought he would like to send her some thing, and finally hit upon a marble, as the most preeious token of his affection which could be found. But when Marnie had taken 1t, 1t looked so much rounder and smoother and more beautifully color ed than when he had held 1t, that he re- pented of his generosity, and resumed his right to the precious plaything. The pale school-mistress smiled at this exhibition of masculine iEconstancy, and went out.
 'ItM do her good to be out of doors, !" said Timothy to his mother, when they were left alone. ''She's getting to look al- most sickly, working so much, and on Saturdays, too"
 ''Well. that ant the fault of the place. anyway" said the matron, catching at her needle, and beginning to stitch sharply at the short trousers.
 Timothy looked at her in slow surprise. But sue did not meet his glance. The young man left the room, and with loud, inattentive stampings went along the pas sageway, to see to his fathers cattle in the barn. s4 e1
 At Christmas. Mamie returned to New Hampshire for week The village seem- ed strangely sad and quiet; and she won- dered, for the first time, how her mother could endgre her life thele alone. In the summer 1t had been quite gay, with friends and strangers; but many of these were now gone. Mr. Halliburton was nos there either. from whom she might otherwise have gained something more of that edu- cational philosophy for which she still lOnged very often. nOtyithstandinr Its dis