The Canton advocate. [volume] (Canton, D.T. [S.D.]) 1877-1897, 1881-09-22


lowing of the costumes wore at ball at
the Grand Union. Mildred Parmenter
to this day has never read word Of
it.
"More news!" how little her Saratoga
friend guessed at the truth in the case!
And Oscar Brant was only four miles
away. She could not help it now if the
tears came. Why could they, not let
her alone? she thought. She had come
up to to the New England hills to gain
some Of the strength and peace she
had lost after she and Oscar Brant had
parted.
She must try for it harder than ever,
now that the time drew near for her to
return to the city.
Her mother and sisters would wait
for her at the Springs. Mr.. Elson would
,: 49,: TOO; Nj. Elson, worth half d mil
lion, sixty years id, his head bald and
sidney; short, fat, fcssy man, who had
grown little stouter." Ugh! They
would all go home together, to the fall
fashions, and dinner parties, and formal
calls. She thought suddenly of the
stutfy parlor, and of the three ladies
with their gossip about the new minis
ter and neighborhood's mumps and
measles. What was there to choose
between city and country life? Life it.
self was intolerable everywhere. Des-
pair at Is is very hopeless sort of des-
pair. Mildred laid her head on the
ground with great tearing sob. sob,
how can bear III"
She went back to the house presently.
She would conquer this foolishness, SO
she told herself, as she kept saying over
and over again the whole summer long.
She would conquer her temper, too;
grow humble, and docile, and patient.
If she tried hard, perhaps, before she
grew to be very old woman-and 40 to
her was an immense age-she might be
amlable, too; serene, self-poised and
lovable. She was quite charmed with
the ideal she imagined of herself. As
for the great grief that had so worn up-
on her, 1t was righteous punishm ent for
her pride and willfulness. There was no
one but herself to blame, and her sense
of justice was keen. She must do her
best to bear what she had brought upon
herself.
Supper was nearly ready when she
came in; beautiful appeal to an artis-
tic eye, with its heap Of snow-white
biscuits, deep, golden butter and purple
grape jelly; but the flowers with which
she always decked the table, she had
forgotten that afternoon. She went at
once into the garden, meeting her I'M
Gle as he passed by with the foaming
milk-pails. Don't forget my holly
hook, darter," he called out as he pass
ed along. Hollyhocks were standing
joke between them. She nodded
brightly. She had really very sweet
and sound nature, for all her faults and
shortcomings, and in the peaceful twi-
light time, she fought good fight, in
which she was helped by every outward
c ndition.
When she came in again, her uncle
was carrying on spasmodic conversa-
ton with his wife, who, out of sight in
the buttery, was straining the milk.
"An' if they can't find some one to
take the school," he was saying, "itll
hev to be shet up awhile"
"What SCHOOL," Mildred asked, car
ing less for the answer than for the ef-
feet OF great pansy she was settling
among the China-asters.
Here in our deestrict. Teachers
sick, an they can't seem to find no one
to take her place"
Mildred had seen the teacher, a pale
young girl, who went home every night
by her uncle's house, with several little
ones beside her. They were barefoot
ed, to be sure, but bright-eyed and rosy
checked.
"How many scholars are there?" she
asked, a sudden impulse taking posses
sion of her.
''Not more'n twenty, I reckon. It's
q summer school, so faint never very
large"
Uncle, would they let me take it?"
"You, darter!"
ayes, I believe I should enlov il. &C: a 4!
it would do me good, besides giving
the teacher a little help. She looks as
if she needed it,"
So it came about that Mildred Par
menter, meeting the children in the
road the next morning, introduced her
self to them as the lady who would
take care of them till their teacher got
well; and, with the big key in her hand,
went across the field with them with
more positive feeling of content and
happiness than she had known for
months.
1t was queer little log school-house
to which they went, one Of the print
tive sort. From all the windows were
magnificent views of the mountains,
but Mildred improved even on that ad-
vantage, by occasionally having recita-
tions out Of doors, a departure from
the Orthodox fashion very gratifying to
the youthful mind. She had had little
contact with the country people, and
the peculiar dialect, the homely SIM
plicity of life, and marked character
istics Of her pupils, continually amused
her. Bobby Whitman her youngest
scholar, had strong propensity for
chewing gum, a habit which seriously
interfered with q naturally defective |
articulation, but one which he sacri-
feed for the good graces of his teacher.
With Maggie Wetherbee, her oldest
pupil she formed almost an intimacy,
listening with interest to the long conf
dences twanged through very pretty
nose, of her trials in tending baby,
picking ''garden-sas" and laying down |