The pioneer express. [volume] (Pembina, Dakota [N.D.]) 1883-1928, 1885-11-20
CSN q MANY.


faced Mu..,an robe in gray, who dai
4 pissed 20 and { o from her board
l.. place 10 tie little white school
hon. q 'nea h the naples, where fol-
rcar'y - year sh had taught tn,
yo,,n:: ,'clliseren.se Westdale hamlet
Few knew Oh. III regarding her, anG
none wee aequ;siat I'd with any OF tn,
facts pertaining to her past, or its
history.
Bearing testimonials relative to hel
calling from the faculty Of 81 seminary
in a distant State, she had been ell
gagged 10 fill the position us instruct
ress i'll The rural district OF Westdalc
Faithfully performing her duty and 81
lently going her way, the inqu 'sitiv,
could only speculate as to what they
in no way undcrst ood- her reticcnct
and deeply sorrowful conference ant
demcanor.
That she failed to bepopular amons
her patrons was not to be wondered
at, as few persons admire, or love
what they fail to understand; ant
Darcia Trcsswell was an inscrutabl,
and unsolvcd enigma to the sinlpl,
country folk among whom she dwelt
Of n deeply religious nature, cultur
ed and refined, her thoughts, tastes
and desires in no way assimilated Will
those of her employers, though she
patiently and conscientiously ell
deavored to do her duty to theil
children, and sought to instil in theil
youthful minds some of the principles
which actuated her own.
But when it was ascertained that
the new teacher "read and prayed
she was eyed askance by the ire
lisious OF the community, and finally
ignored; public sentiment being more
truthfuliy than politely expressed by
the ncishl,orhood oracle-''prayers
may convert the South Sea Islanders,
but nothin' short of be- ech and hick' ry
will tame the young ones of this ere
town.
As said "young ones" were
fully as precocious and observing
rs children i'll general, and
fully aware of the opinion enter
tanned by their elders, they wero not
slow to take advantageof their teach
er's mild rule and merciful disposition;
neither did they scruplc to make her
situation Il most unenviable one and
her life almost unbearable from its
daily MAJ trydom.
She was l.arrasscd and annoyed. her
pers,la>ion> disregurded. her authority
deiie'i. I'LL slc would have gladly bid
den adici, ,o sounpleasant and ullfruit,
full q field Of labor where her tireiesa
efforts had proved SO unavailing and
mapprecia! ed. Though none would
ever know how much heroism and for.
bearan'c -',. displayed, still she re-.
mainc'!! IL; :.t., to what she considered
to he lar ,i',:y till the time should ar
rive for i!cri:pno able release from the
year .n.i e.,.r
''!;"w l'...: !" Ore school will be
out? ir:!':i',e Ia 4 xen-haired, freckled.
faced IL. u 10 'lHde n point of asking
1l'' e::'nia qIes. ion as often as once
e.. /, ..'v.
II, I -. p'eaa,nt tones came the re-
V. ;;s ii it were the first time the
'c.,,i.''i: l..,d ever heard the question,
~: one week, my dear'
In we can II We u new teacher"
wa 4iie course ind unfeeling remark
T., +; ..r,a t,,,ii er ,us, over-grown boy,
IS ..e east IL Vie. ID eye towards the
r.,'r-ta,nd woman by the recitation
tics!s ~io was q, city gathering up
book; and pnp.l for the night. Lav-
ing dismissed her : .holars.
Her dark gray eyes turned upon him
rep'.n:a. i,!ul look for II single instant;
then inii..nation's fire leaped from
their depths as she arose and silently
pointed towards the door.
For once the impertinent STRIPPING
concluded to unluestiopingly obey;
perhaps from Il feeling of eontfition
for his unieeling words; and with con.
siderable noise and widely extended
arms he swept the promiscuous crowd
of juveniles before him, through the
open door way.
There was a sharp metallic blinking
OF dinner pails. a variety of "Oh,
dear's" and ooh, my's!' as some
body's feet proved too large or too
numerous Tor such stampede. There
was a confused hutterina OF pink sun
bonnets and torn straw hats; the
high-keyed voices gradually died away
in the distance. while the weary won..
an. with u deep.drawn, quivering sigi.
sank, into u seat, alone in the deserted
school room.
Her wistful eyes did not look
through the uncurtained window upOl,
the long stretch of field and meadow
where the dry grass and stubble rus.
tied in the late afternoon breeze.
Neither did she see the distant wood
land, gorgeous in its autunnal color
ing; Tor the heavy eyelids dropped;
the nervous tluttering hands dropped
upon the sombre gray dress; the head
with it's masses OF dark braids sank
upon the desk Ill front, while aaasnory
held its mirror before the weary and
half-umconscious toiler.
She saw herself, a girl of sixteen,
among her sisters, one of whom said
and how familiar and plain sounded
the echo of that voice, though it had
been hussed in death for many and
many ayear:-
-'Darcia. it is time you did some.
thing for yourself. We are fatherless.
Our mother is poor. We are Obliged
to provide for ourselves. and you must
begin life in earnest, sister; and 1t will
be an endless battle as it has ever
been for all our SEX"
"But what can do?" had been her
pitiful cry. ~ have no trade, I'D
talent; not IL single natural gift; not
one"
Become teacher! You can &c.
company NE, obtain u certificate, apd
teach school at the Corners this win.
ter" was the elder sister, reply to the
passionate out-burst of the younger.
But" she expostulated," that pro
fession is over-crowded, and there are
three teachers in our family now!"
"True in both cases. But what else
can YOU do?"
All, indeed! What could she do to