Watertown republican. [volume] (Watertown, Wis.) 1860-1906, 1880-02-04
"Guess it's only the door blew open;

in the key" said voice from within;
and Ito Mrs. Wilkins CONSERVATION the
order was obeyed and she was q prisoner.
The boy left the other door slightly
a1ar as he re-entered. A CLEAN of light
shone into the hall, and there were sounds
from the room beyond-a scratching of
pens, and woman's voice; it sounded
wonderfully like that of the little knit
ting-woman, directing and encouraging.
"We1 done, Susan.
"Now don't be disheartened, Will.
Of course while you work in the mill,
and can only study at night, you can't
get along just as some do who can go to
school all day; but what you learn may
be of some use to you. We care most
for things which cost us trouble"
There was few mathematical prob
lens, and then reading, and the words
spelled out with difficulty by some, were
Bible words.
"Charity sufereth long and is kind.
1t faunteth not itself. Thnketh no evil.
Beareth all things, believeth all things,
hopeth all things"
It was easily understood. Mrs. Wilk1n
leaned forward little, and could peep
into the room. Fifteen or twenty boys
and girls from the mill gathered into
night-school. Then wonderful words,
read so slowly and emphatically, sud-
denly to assume new and deeper mean
ing than Mrs. Wilkin had ever thought
Of their possessing. Some things do
show more clearly in the dark than in
the light.
AS the timid little woman, who would
have been frightened at the sound of her
own voice in any other audience half so
large, explained in her simple, gentle
way the passage read, it occurred to the
listener outside that some one was keep
ing q SHARP watch - on those mill poo
pie, after oil and that this might be q
better way of doing it than might be
practiced by any police force. It was
very informal school. One girl had
brought her best dress that the teacher
might show her how to mend rent in it,
and another was trying to knit pair of
mittens for her brother. Every winter
has its thaws. Mrs. Wilkin had heart
down under all the crust of opinions
that she had christened duty; she became
interested, despite her uncomfortable
situation.
The position was unpleasant. She did
not like playing eves-dropper to this in
nocert gathering, but there seemed no
help for it. She could not escape through
the locked door; and boldly revealing
herself, and explaining her absurd sus-
picions, and the remarkable way in which
she come there, was more than even her
thought could endure. So she kept her
place, hoping that when the pupils were
dismissed she might slip out among them
unnoticed. But when the lesson hour
was over they departed slowly, by twos
and threes, the open door hinging food
of light out into the hall. At last only
one fingered, and Mrs. Wilkin listened
intently as she caught his voice.
CHOW, Tim," said the little knitting
woman, "I like to have you come, you
know that, and I'll help you all can,
but you must tell your aunt about it.
"Wel, you see, I don't know what
she'll say" began Tim, irresolutely.
"But that shouldn't hinder you from
doing your duty"
"Don't know about that" said Tim,
still doubtful. "You see Aunt Liz
beths got an awful mount of duty of
her own, and it's such q particular kind
that other folks can't get much chance to
do theirs only when hers is a nappin'.
Why, Uncle Reub gives my mother lots
Of meat, but he just slips it off and don't
tell"
"Well, if you don't know what is
right for you, know what is right for
me" said the little teacher with quiet
laugh; "and I can't let you come again
until you tell your aunt how you spend
our evenings.
Mrs. Wilkin nodded vigorous ap-
proval, but it was evident that Tim de-
parted in state of dissatisfaction.
There was sound of crutch tapping
on the floor, and Mrs. Wilkin remem-
bered that little lame brother had
sometimes gone about with the knitting
woman. They two were left alone in the
room, and went around shaking out the
fire and putting up books and papers.
"Only ten cents 8 week for each one
that's so little, said the boyish tones,
musingly.
eyes, but it isn't SO very much that
I can teach Them" answered the little
woman humbly. "And then it's all they
can afford to pay, poor things! And you
know we began more for their sakes than
our own, though we do not need money.
Courage, though, Johnny! It all counts,
and you shall have your overcoat pretty
soon now. Besides, this is work that
blesses both ways-in what we give as
well as what we get"
If she could only pass that open door.
Mrs. Wilkin was growing benumbed by
standing SO long in the cold. Finally
the lights were extinguished, and the two
came out Just then, fortunately, John
ny remembered that they had left book
behind them, and as they turned back
the prisoner seized her opportunity and
escaped.
She was sitting alone by the fire when
Tim, who had made his homeward route
sufficiently circuitous to include call on
his mother, returned. He sat down
near her, twisted his fingers uneasily,
and Mrs. Wilkin guessed what was
coming.
"There's been an evenin' school here,
Aunt Liz BETH"