The Northern Pacific farmer. [volume] (Wadena, Minn.) 1878-1885, 1882-01-12

ana completeness thaC surprised the whole
school. In three weeks she was at the heac
of her class. was delighted, and praised
and sought to encourage her, but
she received my praises inditferently.
Just ut this time I one day lost GOLD
pencil that had been given me- by dear dea:
friend. asked the scholars if they haG
seen it. There was no response, but all Of
them looked at Bridget Ann. who was silen
as usual.
I valued it," said because my friend
is dead"
AS spoke the tears ca,ne into my eyes
Two days afterwards, the pencil was
mysteriously returned, and Bridget Ann
watched me closer than ever.
Towards the last of my term, I received 6
letter from queer old man in my native
town; old Uncle Piper distant relative OF
my fathers.
Miss Mary Ellis:-I am in want an if
can't git money to pay my rent won't hav
field afore going to the poorhouse. I kin
git along if could raze ten dollars to pay
MY house rent, for long as Nv got my helth
kin sor wood. I hearn you was teachin',
an you air young an strong an kin earn,
an you won't begrudge money to apoor old
man with one foot in the grave an can't live
long which was your fathers fren. :.
MIR. JONATHAN PIPER x his mark.
Writ by Miss Spriggins next door to him
for him which was t1q him bein' most orful
poor.
There were twenty-fv dollars in my
purse. It was all the money had, but !
sent twelve of it to the old man, for 1 felt
that my father would have wished me to.
This lost me my winter cloak, but wore
my shawl and made the best of it. Mypar-
to- ol ~ loE~ Ia II
and when 1 was child had spent many
happy hours in his tumbledown shanty,
where he lived with lame old cat which,
strange to say, Imped exactly as his master
did. Old Tom always followed Uncle Pip
er to his days work, stayed by him, and at
| nigltfall they returned home together.
| Instead of blessings which are supposed
| to FOLLOW gifts to the poor, two weeks after
had sent the money, Mr.. Bolor, one of
| the school committee, made me call. He
| came into the room, seated himself near
my desk, and informed me- before the
school, that "he guessed was too unset
tied an onlarned fur the position, and
want able to govern the scholars an keep
and they d concluded to cut the term short
two weeks. and would pay me a weeks, sal
airy ahead, which would, he added, abe
the square thing; givin' me clean four
| dollars without no work nor trouble"
| | answered him at random, for was con-
| fused and was afraid should burst into
tears before the school. He went away
after informing the scholars that "the term
! had been cut short two weeks on account
| Of dissatisfaction with the teacher who,
want hardly up to what was required in
| Greenfield.
It was Friday afternoon and the scholars
took their books when they left, giving
three cheers as they ran down the hill. A
then I Was left alone with the four crum-
pied one dollar bills, the last of my earnings
Us teacher. Even Bridget Ann, who was
to some extent the cause of my failure to
| find favor with the parents of tho children,
left NE without a farewell glance.
At nineteen, friendless, homeless, with
only sixteen dollars in the world, with my
prospects as teacher forever lost, can you
wonder that I was Respondent and hope
less? | knew well no town near Greenfield
would employ me after this experience. and
had not money enough to enable me to go
to the city to find other employment.
Is it a wonder that there in that dreary
room, while the shadows were falling over
the hills, the early twilight shutting in, and
the chill wind shrieking around the corners,
chimney with shuddering signs, I dropped
my head on the desk and prayed to die?
How could I live2 What was there in life
for me?
The little clock licked steadily, monot-
onously, and Il poor starved little mouse
ran out from under the wood-box and nib
bled at piece of bread dropped from
scholars dinner basket. I compared N.Y.
self to the poor little thing. and my tears
fell faster.
AS sat there I heard the sound of steal
thy footsteps, face that in the gathering
twilight could not recognize peered into
the window. The little mouse vanished
like flash. was not alarmed, was too
miserable.
hn6vn 9 hs dor n ops3&sS ;R Sa S
Miss Ellis it said, with tenderness in the
voice.
Eyes, ANNIE" replied, with sob, DOT
lifting my aching head.
She came and knelt by my side and put
her arm about me, saying passionately,
"My dear, dear teacher!" sobbing and kiss
ing my hands, my dress even. Il know
you have lost your place for me, who
wa Mt nuthin' but mean, and poor, and
that; and stole your pencil-Oh me! Oh
me! Why was you so good? An you're
goin' away! I wish I could die! What
was the use ov me- lovin' you now you're
goin'? No one never was good afore to me.
think you must be one Of the angels, or if
you amt, why want emmy of the others like
you? Oh, am sorry! am sorry!"
She put her head down and cried so pit
| fully, yet quietly, that my grief was lost in
hers, and forgot my sorrow in soothing
| her.
Surely my reward was greater than had
ko1l lou ko1l
| that one Of the cruelest wounds had had
in teaching the school was the thought that
she had not appeared to notice or care for
| my sympathy and pity for her.
And so two poor, almost hopeless, souls
sat there and talked, she at my feet, her
head in my lap. Strange that she could
| advise me, but she did. She told me of q
factory five miles away at Northport, where
cotton cloth was made; where men, wo-
| men and children worked in the great mills
from morning till night in the eternal crash
and whirr of the ponderous machinery. She
said could find work there, and begged
me to take her with me, saying she was
used to hard fare, and could live on almost
| nothing.
This I could not promise, but I told her
that would come or send for her if I found
employment and could support myself.
The next day went away. As I passed
the *'Den Of Thieves" saw Bridget Ann
at the gate. She waved her tattered hat,
and looking backward, I saw her throw her.
self on the ground, burrying her face in the
grass. That poor little picture was the only
pleasant one that carried away from
Greenfield.
For six weary, frightful months worked
in the Northport cotton-mill. Six months
of living DEATH Each dav I fancied that
the hollows in my cheeks were deeper, my
steps weaker, my hands more frail.
In six months more think should have
died but for a letter-a dirty, much post
| marked letter-that the postmaster handed
me as I was going by. 1t was from Lawyer
Bliss of my native place. announcing the
death OF Uncle Piper, and the bequest to
me OF twenty thousand dollars.
lie was miser, and had been accumular-
ing this money all his life. Some of it was
| invested in western lands, and some il
United States bonds, and more was found
| IN queer holes and corners in his shantv.
II q was an acpantric man on1 knou;np