The Forest Republican. [volume] (Tionesta, Pa.) 1869-1952, 1878-03-27

OVerrate your own responsibility.
She shook her head and looked him
earnestly in the face.
"But somebody is responsible, Mr..
Denike if not I, who is There are
hundreds of such children In Ohepachet.
They don't go TO school. I'm public
school teacher, and there aren't half a
dozen of that sort in the village. They
won't come the principal doesn't want
them, if they would. In Sunday school,
my class is the only one of the kind,
and that wouldn't be there, if hadn't
gone out and picked it up myself. The
superintendent doesn't like ragged,
barefooted boys. He draws the line of
exclusion just beyond shoes and stock
ings. But these boys have souls, Mr..
Denike and they'll surely go to ruin,
unless they are taught, not ouly for an
hour on Sunday, but six days in the
week. If the responsibility isn't mine,
does it rest on the church or on the
school board or on the legislature, Mr..
Denike? After all, aren't you rome
what responsible yourselfP"
By this time she had stopped in front
of a house, and was resting her hand on
the railing of the stoop.
"This is your home p he said, in
quiringly, without having answered her
last question.
"Yes," she replied "I live here
with my mother"
"And may not call to see you, some
time ?"
Miss Pennyfeathe er hesitated-he was
certainly a very recent acquaintance,
but he promised to be pleasant one.
To be sure he was interested in another
girl, but that need make no difference,
except as it might define more clearly
their own relations. Miss Pennyfeather
began to feel quite friendly interest
in the pretty face which Mr.. Denike
carried in his pocket. So she only said,
with a half smile, in almost the same
words she had used before:
"Why, yes, if you want to-"
Denike bowed.
"Let me answer your question:" he
said, "before 1 go. OF course I share
the responsibility with every one else
who legislates for the people. But the
problem is difficult one. Maybe you
have some proposition, " as he noted her
more eager expression.
The girl gave little low laugh, per-
haps half ashamed of her excitement.
eyes, 1 have, Mr.. Denike," she said
"indeed it's my hobby. Whenever
get hold of people who have influence,
bore them with it until their lives be-
come burden. My notion is to start
here in Chepachet an industrial school,
under the school board, where vagranl
children can be brought in and taught
} some useful trade. It's my highest
ambition, Mr.. Denike, to have the
charge of a school like that"
Her eye kindled and her face glowec
with the words. John Denike, as he
looked at her, forgot for a moment the
face in his pocket-book, and thought he
had never seen much prettier picture
, Indeed, Miss Pennyfeather, HI
said, as though protesting against he
suggestion that he was bored, 81 an
very much interested. And I'd like t.
= talk the matter over with you. Per
+ haps 1 can do something in the way o
legislation. May 1 come soon and con
, tinue the conversation ?"
: Miss Pennyfeather nodded eyes, ant
t bade him good-by. Then the doc
opened and shut, and Denlke was lef
/ alone. But the thought of Miss Penny
e feathers bright expression and the ech
of her fresh, ringing voice fingered wit
t him all the way home.
: Three months after that, the schoc
y board of Chepachet found itself in
great quandary. 1t was seriously pre-
y posed-indeed it had become a law
q that in Ohepachet, education should b
= made compulsory. More than this, fo
the vagrant class and for children {
poor parents an industrial school was
q be provided. The question that COZ
e cerned the board was not so much wh
v had engineered the innovation, as whoi
e they should appoint as principal,
:. Properly" said old Mr.. Gallup, VIII
e was the senior member OF the board an
very slow of speech, "the place belong
e to Miss Williams"
" "But Miss Fairfield is very highl
d recommended" put in Deacon Orwil
e "She is very young, remarked M
Bushnell, who was himself verging c
!" eighty.
"We'l, after ALL" declared Eld'
Knox, "it amounts to about this De-
ike has more interest in this thing tha
anybody else. He wants Miss Penn
y feather, and she ought to be appointed
IN And that settled it.
In all her life Maud Pennyfeather hi
le never passed q happier time than tho
w three months. Never, indeed, hi
s months passed so quickly. In her rel
~ tions with Mr.. Denike the industri
IN school had, from the very first, been
topic of absorbing interest. The legi
e. lation affecting it was drawn in MI
Pennyfeather's neat little parlor, al
n all the details were there arranged fro
evening to evening between the ty
er conspirators. Having a secret of til
o. profound and important character, the
in friendship became peculiarly intima
and informal. Had it not been for t
y. picture in Mr.. Denike's pocket-boo
he Maud might have imagined there "
let some purpose in his attentions. But
ne course the fact of the picture left Ma