The Republican. [volume] (Oakland, Md.) 1877-current, 1884-12-20
FLOSSY'S FUNNY DREAM.

mother-The Queer Things She Heard
and Saw,
Oh, girls, Just come here, and hear
what funny dream Flossy Severance
had last nightr'
When three or four more little girls
came running over to the north side of
the school house, where Flossy Sever
ance and Hattie Newton We're seated on
big fiat stone, Flossy began: Il
know it was a very queer dream, but
did dream it, truly. | suppose Miss
Ames' reading that old-fashioned story
in school yesterday afternoon made me-
mother said she guessed it did. You
know Miss Ames told us how the first
school house that ever was in this town
stood over in the field back of Mr.. Aims
worth's. Well dreamed it was stand
ing there now, and was going there to
school. Yes, | did; it was just so queer
There were the split logs for benches
that she told us about, and all. The
school house was made of logs, too.
uc HlSJ LlluS ultdllttl ABOUT was
going up the path to that school house
l thought it was winter, and ! had on
my garnet suit trimmed with chinchilla,
and my chinchilla cap that | wore last
winter, you know. | had my books,
my SWinton's Geography and my Col
burns Arithmetic, and al the rest, in
my bag. The other scholars seemed to
be all there when | got up to the door;
they were playing out in the yard, and
they were the funniest looking set. The
girls were great thick shoes, and indigo
dresses way down to their heels. Most
of them had little blankets pinned over
their heads instead of hoods, and every
one had her hair parted in the middle
and combed, oh, SO smooth, over her
ears! Their cheeks were Just as fat and
rosy; and the way they trudged through
the snow and threw snowballs! We
couldn't begin to do it. The boys looked
funnier than the girls, in snutf-colored
clothes and the oldest shaped hats,
when l came up amongst them they
Just stopped playing and started How
they did stare! Then they whispered to
each other and began to gingle |
couldn't see what they We're laughing
at; it did seem to me that if it was any
body's place to laugh it was mine, for
l knew they looked more laughable than
l did, and my dress was very stylish,
and theirs awfully out of fashion.
But began to cry. felt so morti-
fed. Then one little girl stepped out
from the others and came up to me.
Don't be troubled, said she, if they
do laugh; they will soon be accustomed
to your queer dress, and no longer be
provoked to mirth. What is your
name"
" 'Flossy Severance said I.
" Your name is as singular as your
gown, said she. i never heard such
name as Flossy; mine is Submit Fair
child Penniman,'
"When she said that | jumped, for
that was my great-grandmother's name.
She was fathers grandmother and |
! had heard him tell about her lots of
times, and | always remembered her
name 1t was SO queer. 1t came over
| me, all of sudden, that this was my
great grandmother, and | felt half
scared and half tickled - there was
something awful about it, and some
thing funny.
4 " What's the matter?' said she, when
jumped.
=" Nothing much said l. thought
l wouldn't tell her what | had found
out, for fear she wouldn't like it. ]
didn't know how she would fancy boing
called great-grandmother by another
little girl
just then, the teacher came to the
door and called us in; she didn't ring
any bell. She had very pretty face,
If she hadn't worn her hair in such a
queer fashion; great puffs on each side
of her head, and the tallest shell comb.
Her gown was very short-waisted and
big-figured, and the skirt was plain.
"WeE, we all went in and sat down
on the log benches, and the school be.
gan. After the opening exercises, the
scholars recited in the New England
Primer, like Miss Ames said; then they
had the Catechism and queer arith-
metic. Of course | didn't know any
thing but my Swinton and Colburn
and for Catechism, my Sunday-school
lesson papers; and the teacher said
was very backward, and would have to
90 way back to the beginning, and
couldn't be in the class with my great
grandmother | did feel so cheap.
Just sat there and heard the others re-
cite and felt like a Ounce till noon
Then there was an hours intermssion
and | thought my great-grandmothel
and | sat down together on log, AND
ale some Indian meal cake, which she
had brought in little cotton bag fol
her dinner. We got to talking and now
the funny part comes. l mixed il
everything Miss Ames told with it, you
know.
"'Has your father paid the cord o.
wood for your schooling?' said my
great grandmother.
Il said | didn't know.
:" Mine has, said my great-mother
"a cord of the very finest cedar to b,
! found in the forest Then she sat VI
very straight, eating her corn cake, anC
looked as If she felt so grand.