The Middlebury register. [volume] (Middlebury, Vt.) 1850-1882, 1877-03-31

: IOWH Is Oucrcu Inc u pOslllOn OF Trust
and conhdence-no less, I may say TO
you, dear madam, than professor
chair"
hadn't the least idea what he meant.
| knew that one chair differed very
much from another, and whereas one
was comfortable, easy and enjoyable
another might be for the time being n
seat of torture, but wherein professors
chair cxcclled could not at that time
imagine. sat quite still, and the ruff
file fell from my hand; my foot rested
upon the trcadle Of the machine, and
sat and stared at Mr.. Slade like ono de-
mcntcd.
"And it has occurred to me that the
position have held here, which is an cx-
cccdingly easy and pleasant one, might
pro6tably and suitably be filed by one
of the other sex; the duties are not at
all arduous, and could be performed
more readily, it appears to me, than
those pertaining to the needle. have
spoken to the committee in your be-
half, and with little attention on your
part 10 the single mechanical require
mcnts necessary and little help OF
mine, you will be ready to ill the posi-
tiOn at once!"
"Who? !, Mr.. Sladc? WHY, YOU
, must be crazyw Then feeling that this
was not respectful way TO speak. all
ded that his kindness for me had led
him TO overrate my capabilities.
"Why, Mr.. Sladc," said |, 81 never
got beyond the first four rules in arlh-
metic."
"And upon these depend everything"
he replied. "Come, put by your work,
and let us see what we can do in the
first attempt
II was of no use TO refuse. His was
one Of those masterly natures that al
ways conquer.
Half an hour after was sitting close
by his side at the table, with Charley's
slate under my blurred eyes and Char
ley's pencil in my trembling fingers.
The rosy evening light strcamcd in upon
us, the soft south wind bringing resin
ous odors through the window from the
woods where Charley vet fingered.
Now, my dear Mrs. Sweet" said
Mr.. Sladc-and the very gcnllcness of
his tone. tender rendering of my name,
made me shiver and shake; for
couldn't get the thought from my head
that when he was gone there was no.
body left to deal lenderly with me or
mine-"now pray try TO give your
thoughts TO the subject in hand. il is
the simplest thing in the world; and
these rudiincnls once conquered, the rest
will follow. Now, Il man sold his farm
for $3.50, and fourtccn-liltcenths of
this is seven-ninths of the cost of his
house, and the house cost three times rs
much as the store; now what was the
cost of the house and store?"
His voice was 50 persuasive. so dis
tinct; II must have been pleasant voice
to listen to at the school, even if the
poor little bloclihcads could make nci-
thcr head nor tail of his meaning.
looked at Mr.. Slade. then out of the
window, where the mellow light of sun
set shone, and away over the wooded
hills beyond, and thought how such a
tile while ago il was spring landscape
all bathed in tcnderest green, and now
ii was autumn, the grass was sere and
brown, the leaves falling, the branches
like skeletons against the evening sky.
"Madam---my dear Mrs. Sweet" said
| the ve;-- - a. ., ir'uiuIuSto"- - ucB
your attention to these first few rules.
Ii Is distastetul TO me 10 leave YOU prey
to the coarse habits of these village
women who ilaunt their iincry in an
obtrusive and unbecoming manner, and
grudge You the poor reward for your
labor"
"She said the seam, were crooked,
and perhaps they wcre," | said; for
knew hc meant Mrs. Chapel. II am
not very good at sewing, or-or any,
thing Then two big tears rolled ont
of my eyes upon Charley's slate, and
blurred the schoolmaslers pretty fig-
ures, which so distressed him that he
| M a nj nj. Al la
"Dear Mrs. Sweet" he said, quite
imploringly, "if You would only make
up your mind 10 master these first rules
A man sold his farm, $3.50 dollars,
"And Pm sure he got good price for
it," broke in; "and whatever he got
for his house il must have been ali il
was worth. As for his store, don'r
want to know anything about il; can't
see that IFS any of my business, Mr..
Sladc, and cant bother with il Just
now. IL II was house alone or a siore
alone, or q farm-bui to cut them all
up and put them together again like IL
patchwork quilt is impossible for me TO
think of, Mr.. Siade; can't do 1t, never
could, and it's ridiculous TO ask me
such thing, Mr.. Slade. All can do
| aiier you go away is 10 go on working
for Mrs. Chapel till drop dead and
If il wasn't for Charley, wouldn't care
how soon that would be-"
Then put my head down on the ta-
bile and cried, ready 10 break my heart.
| couldn't help Ii. | was the most
wrelched creature in the world, and
my heart was full. couldn't help the
cry, and Pm glad now that did.
For suddenly felt his strong arm
tremble on the back of my chair.
at is SO sad and terrible | sail. ITO
have the seams always crooked, and
Mrs. Chappel-"
"Coniusion TO Mrs, Chapel and her
| crooked seams Tell me, madan-AIrs.
sweet-tell me, dear little heart, would
II not even be better 10 give over your
lnlure TO grim old pedagogue like me
| II shall AT least be free from crooked
seams and pnzzling problems"
heaved little sigh of relief, and his
strong arm fell shcltcringly about me.
''lf Heaven will vouchsafe to me-" he
said, getting back TO his dear, old wordy
way, 'your sweet cOmpanionship for
all the days To come, can even find il
in my heart TO be grateful to Mrs. Chap
pei, and wish her we'll"
don't know what said, but every
body knows that never could see any
fault in Mr.. Slade, and don't to this
day. lie fills his professors chair, and
l have ever so many comfortable ones
at home. Charley Is splendid mathc-
matician; but there is little fellow
Just creeping into fractions, and he came
TO me the other day, his dear little
brains sore with puzzling over that self
same sum.
"And, please, mamma" he begged,
"a man SOLD his farm for $3.50 dollars,
and IonrIccn-tifteenths of this is"
80 10 papa, darling" | said; he
found ont the cost of il all long ago
but AS for me, dear I'm glad TO say that
l never could make II out-never" -
[Harper's Weekly.
"Why doesn't this fire keep up?" asked
| a Chicago husband petfishlv ne no