Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1884-1886, 1885-06-09
JUNIA'S NINETEENTH
YEAR.
lIanta Wilson SMITH
Ill -. I, ~

| Certainly. IL was my fathers last wish
that should spend this year teaching a dis
trict school, AMI shall do SO, if 10 sible.'
What strange request 1t waS! And
| wouldn't | like to see the elegant Miss st.
John rustling her rich robes among tine bat
tered benches of a district school-house-'
20, stop Mabel Bryne! give me credit for
better sense than that My rustling robes
will be packed away in cousin James store.
room. Why, l have n complete outfit in
perfect keeping with a salary of $50 a
| month.
@Oh, horrible! and you expect to enjoy it.7
why not, Mabel 1t will he relief to
| forget that l am an heire,s Even my
nights are hideouS with dreams of fortune
hunters, but how happy ! shall be as a poor
| teacher
"Junia. what will be your next freaki II
| you must leave US all. and bury yourself in
a pace that never was heard of before why
must you make dOwiy of yourself; ?
| -Don't worry, dear, my dresses are pretty,
| in good taste, and suitable for the place IN
which expect to wear them. What next"
What will our gentlemen friends think of
| you, Junel The star they worship, sinking
| out of their sky to shine over a distant
school, Their opinion makes no difference
for them all if they would do a little honest
work once in a while If | We're man
| would scorn a useless life a lew OF our
| acqaintances read law an hour or two day,
Others watch their speculatio =, the major
ity lounge in their library or iil,iar Eall,
drive in the park or real novels TIL time 10
dress for dinner or ball The greater part
of life is spent in saying pretty nothinss TO
pretty society girls. No wonder such mon
hearty for money; it Is the easiest way they
know of to earn their living o Tor manly
| menu
Mercy how you 20 on, Junlai II your
father had requested You to give course Of
lectures IN your 10Th year, should 1T have
wondered
Mabel could not understand her friends
freak as she termed it. Oae would expect
her to observe her fathers last wish. and
she could skim over year Of teaching IN a
lady -hke way in some If tho schools near
home, but to go 100 miles away, and enter
into ths WORK with heart and soul a Junia
was doin., was beyond her comprehension.
So II was with good deal of curiosity that
Mabel a few weeks later, broke the seal #
Junia's first letter, and read
SANDY Cow,
DEAR MABEL: / have purposely delayed
writing, that iirst impressions might settle
into convictions, IN order that my letter
should convey no wrong ideas.
One can make no mistake about the seem
ery. Ii Is grand. \ view of the sea, "A
sharp rocky coast line, with tiny core
around which the village nestles a back
ground If magnificent old trees, beyond
which lie the small rocky farm ami pasture
lands, while against the near horizon. rise
the grand cid mountains-the everlasting
hills
The cool sea breeze floats in through the
window, bringing me the los. sad music of
the breaking waves Hook out AMI see be
low me our house is on the cliff the village
with its clustering cottages, and weather.
worn church and school house standing a
little apart The sunshine warmly down
upon the sparkling water where the
tis hermen's boats ars idly drifting,
and upon the silverr beach, where children
are playing with merry laughter, AMI shouts
of glee
You would no; consider my present home
elegant, but il is the lest IN the village. i
very neat. comfortable and cheerful To be
sure, my window miSh t be larger, the walls
Of NV room higher, but as long this
delicious breeze lasts, | will not complain.
Widow Ferris" has b ariei the teacher
for years The family consists OF herself,
maid Of all work and Mr.. Norman Ferris,
whom she PERSISTS in calling MY boy. Nor
man" although be i chief man Of the val
lage, must be -. Is not less than six feet
tall and strong enough 10 pick up his little
mother with ease.
He Is II a scientific turn OF mind, and has
a den in the kitchen chamber. his mother
is worried over his strange propenSltles. and
was not = little cOmfortei when / told her
nv father had a fondneSs for scientific
studie- The widow herself : a fine speci-
men # New England womanhcoj- hiding
under ber natural reserve a wealth OF deyo-
ton and notheriy kindness. Since her hu>-
bands death she depends wholly On Nor
man, who. with the exception o; couple
years at school. has cared for the farm. and
now has contenteily settled down here for
life. fear he lacks energy 10 launch cut
and make his mark in the world
/ wish YOU could visit my school IL
would afford you rare amusement, AMI
Q description can never do IL justice.
Scholars Of all ages and all degrees Of in
telligence: some agreeable, some otherwise:
some unruiy, some oheiIent; bot ! am 81
interested in them Evidently nv meth ois
q. new 10 them ! take them out among
the rocks and give them simple lessons in
geology, or out on the beach and talk to
them OF nature. history AMI the treasures