River Falls journal. [volume] (River Falls, Pierce County, Wis.) 1872-2019, 1885-09-24

/ fused with it, all to no purpose, anC
how | was to finish that dress of Mrs
/ Chappels with that dreadful noise dis
/ tracing my poor brain, didn't know
4 Wen look at it. he said, in tha
resting comforting. soul-cheerng way
/ of his, and as | followed him into the
sitting room, knew in my hear
/ that he would exercise that squeaking
demon from the machine. And he did
Its the ball. he said; lit become
smooth from friction, and if you'll
bring me little flour or meal Mrs
Sweet-stay! here is piece of chalk
which is better than all.
And with that little white limp that
he took from his waistcoat pocket, he
made the machine perfect in tive-ir
two minutes
Now, how could / help watching him
from the door again, as he walked
away to school; and let his coat tails
flap rs they may, or be knock-kneed tc
eternity, how could help sending after
him my heartiest benediction and
blessing?
And can it be wondered at that when
only two or three months after he told
me he was going away. | was like one
stunned and bewildered? We were
sitting in the little front room, and was
finishing off that diagonal ovcrskirt foI
Mrs Chapel. Charlie had gone hunt
ing to the woods, for it was already
autumn, and an early frost had set the
leaves aflame. A breeze from the west
blew my hair into my eyes, and | put
it back with a trembling hand. The
soft warm day of golden light suddenly
seemed to cloud over, and become one
of moody sadness.
Il have an opportunity for advance
ment in my profession. he said.
(which it would i'll behOOve me to put
by. In my native town is offered me a
position of trust and confdence-no
less, may say to dear madam, than a
professors chair.
| hadn't the least idea what he
meant | knew that one chair differed
very much from another, and whereas
one was comfortable, easy, and ioyable,
another might be for the time begin a
seat of torture, but wherein professor 5
chair eXcellcd | could not at that time
imagine. sat queit still, and the
ruffle fell from my hand; my foot rested
upon the treadle of the machine, and |
sat and stared at Mr.. Slade like one
demented.
And it has occurred to me- he
went on, "that the position | have
held here, which is an exceedingly
easy and pleasant one, might profitably
and suitably the filled by one of the
other sex; the duties are not at all
arduous. and could be performed
more readily, it appears TO me, than
those pertaining to the needle. | have
spoken to the committee in your part
to the simple mechanical requirements
necessary, and little help upon mine,
You will be ready to fill the position at
oncer'
WHO? |, Mr.. Slade? Why, you
must be crazy"
Then feeling that this was not a
respectful way to speak, | added that
his Kindness for me had led him to
overrate my capabilities.
"Why. Mr.. Slade, said |, Il never
got beyond the four first rules in
arithmetic"
"And upon these depend everything, "
he replied. Come put by your work.
and let us see what we can do in a
first attempt
1t was of no use to refuse. He was
one of those masterful natures that al
ways conquers. Half an hour after,
was sitting close by his side at the
table with Charles slate under my
blurred eyes and Charlie 5 pencil in my
trembling fingers. The rosy evening
light streamed in upon us, the soft
south wind bringing resinous odorS
through the woods " lcre Charley yet
fingered.
Now, my dear Mrs. Sweet" said Mr..
Slade-an the very gentleness q his
tone, the tender rending of my name,
made me SILVER and shake; for | could
not get the thought from my head that
when he was gone there was no one left
to deal tenderly with me or mine
''now pray try and give your thought
to the subject in hand. 1t is the sim
plest thing in the world; and these rudi-
mentS once conquered, the rest follows.
Now, man sold his farm $500 and
fourteen-tifteenths of this seven
ninths of the cost of his house, and the
store; now what was the cost of the
house and stOreP'
His voice was so persuasive ; 80 dis
tinct, it must have been pleasant
voice TO listen to at school, even if the
poor little blockheads could not make
head nor tail of his meaning. | looked
at Mr. Slade. and then out of the win
dow. where the mellow light of the
sunset shone, and away over at the
swoodcd hills beyond, and | thought
how, such a little while ago it was a
pring landscape all bathed in tender
est green, and now it was autumn, the
grass was sere and brown, the leavs
falling, the branches like skeletons
against the evening sky.
"Madam-my dear Mrs. Sweet,
said the voice of the schoolmaster, Il
beg our attention to these few first
rules. 1t is distasteful to me to leave
You prey to the coarse habits Of these
village women, who llaunt their tinery
in an obtrusiye and unbecoming man
ner, and grudge you the poor reward
for your labor,
.'She said the seams were crooked,
and perhaps they WERE, | said; for |
knew he meant Mrs. Chapel. II am
not very good at sewing, or-any-
thing Then two big tears rolled out
of my eyes upon Charley's slate, and
blurred the schoolmaster' figures,
which so distressed him that he got up
and took a turn about the room. Then
he came back to the table again.
Dear Mrs. Sweet" he said. quite
/ imploringly, IF YOU would only make
up your mind to master these first
rules! A man sold his farm fol-
/ IS. 80"
And am sure he got good price
for it, ] broke in; land whatever he
got for his house, it must have been all
1t was worth. As for his store, | don
want to know anything about it;
cant see that it's any of my business,
Mr.. Slade, and | can t bother with il
I Just now If it was a house alone, or a
+ farm-but to cut them all up and put
them together again like patchwork
quilt is impossible for me to think Of.
/ Mr.. Slade. | can't do it. | never
could, and it's ridiculous to ask me
such a thing, Mr.. Slade. All | can dc
i after you 60 away is to 90 on working
I for Mrs. Chapel till | drop dead; and
T if it WASH for Charley, / wouldn care
+ how soon that would be-
/ Then put my head down on the
table and cried, ready to break my
heart | couldn't help it. | was the
most wretched creature in the world,
Land my heart was full. l couldn
help the cry, and I'm glad now that
did.
/ For suddenly / felt his strong arms