News and citizen. [volume] (Morrisville, Vt. ;) 1881-current, 1886-02-18
SCRABBLE-HILL DEESTRIC.
BY MAUpE MEREDITH.

DEACON w hlpum, there amt no gal un-
der the sun that can manage our school.
There's three great hefty fellers been
licked and turned out ont, hand run
min, and its no arthly usov
"WaP, now / tell ye, Mis- Fisher,
thet there gals got grit; and she jcs'
hes got the most eoHelqciia' way with
her that ever ye see. I'll resk her to
kerry the school through in good shape,
see I she don'tt"
"E-r-r-r,s Mrs, Fisher answered
with an omjnous shaking of the head.
You're just sOt on havin' on 'er, that's
what blinds you. Now there's Tilury
Kent, dye 'spose young gals goin'
to handle her, when them great men
folks could't do thing with ERR tell
ye, ye've just wasted yer time fur moth
In fooGn' around arter woman teach
er, even ef you could get her little
cheaper. The deestric' is glad enough
TO get teacher cheap, but what we've
got to have is some one as kin jcs' lick
EN- right doaon tot. An you know
thet's wells do"
''Thet's jest what I tole the deacon, -
Mrs. Whipum added meekly, glancing
furtively toward where the deacon sat.
''Now there's my boys" Mrs. Fisher
resumed, 'they're no ways bad boys,
they mind me; but know jes' how't'll
OF 'tention to a fddle-faddlin' sort of
gal, an 1t won't be my blame, nuther,
ii they don't, Deacon Whipum.p
"Y.e-s. they do mind what you tell
the deacon said, with
a merry Iwinkle IL MS snarp grey eyes.
"But bein' as its winter, the school
marin won't have the advantage that
you do, seein' there amt no rake-stales
round at thus time O. year"
@Waf, Idon't deny have took rake
stales to 'em, more particularly when
I've been rakin' after the cart, but that's
jes' what boys need. That's what I've
been tellin' on ye."
"War, wap, we'll see how the school
marm comes out. And you can jes' tell
'em at school commences the fust Mon
day arteF Thankgivin', an tell your
boys to be on hand sharp" And as
though to end the agument, the deacon
took his hat down from the nail, and
went out to attend to hls chores.
After that the gossip drifted off INTO
different channels by guests doing the
talking and mild, reticent Mrs. Whip
um listening attentively.
''The first Monday arter Thanksgiv-
ing" found the little brown school
house we'll filed with half-grown girls,
and a larger crowd of boys clustered
about tho outer door. Surely the
scholars were prompt enough on this
first morning, at least; and the boys
were trying, In their stupid way, to
sharpen their dull wits at each others
expense, process that had all the
charm Of novelty. since they had foI
tho most part@been widely separated
during the working season. They were
also anticipating little coarse though
lively fun when Deacon Whipum should
drive up with his lamo old mare and the
sntiquated yellow pung, that had done
serviGn since long before the earliest
Fecollections OF any of them. Not that
tho boys disliked the deacon, not in the
leastI ha yas very genial and popular
man, but they were Enthusiastically vul
peyahla paints about the deacon's turn
Qst, and they saw an opportunity to en-
barraSs tho new teacher, and thu
'Isoora a point" at the very outset
But while tLey stood shivering abou
The door, kicking the new snow from
thsiE cold feet, and wiping their rec
noses, gay jangle of bells cut through
the frosty air, and q handsome hors
and cutter-the very hundsomest tn
children had ever seen-dashed up t
the door, and an equally handsom
young man sprang out and assisted
pretty little lady to alight.
- ND Nf hnx
Mics Grey tho young man said in
bali undertone, yet somehow sufficient
lQlld to reach tho ears of the gapin
| boys-''and ] am sure you will haye
splendid school We'u come up to visi
Your school one Of these days.
"Yes, / am to have nice, big school
and they told me they were splendi
scholars, too so hope you will all com
up to see US by-an-by."
I The little "school-marnp smiled an
glanced pleasantly around at the crow
of scholars that clustered about tn
door, and after merry good-by tn
young man drove off, and she entere
the school house.
AS she hung her hat and cloak on tn
NAH back of the teachers desk an
turned to hnT scholars, she noticed thu
o profound hush had fallen upon then
A glance at her watch showed that
yet lacked twenty minutes Of nine, bl
evidently this was the moment to ca
the school to order, and she did 81
Every scholar settled quietly into h
seat, except three great hulking fellow
dressed in coarse grey pants and blu
and white homespun frocks belted wat
wide leather belts, which looked lii
nothing so much as q saddle grit
These three still stood with their bacl
to the little box stove, balancing the
heels now and again against the hot lro
which hissod and spluttered as the sno
, melted from them.
Miss Grey went about quietly takiu
the names of the pupils, with pleasa
word and smile for each, until s.
reached the young men who still stot
by the stove. They gave their nam
grufffy, and with averted eyes. Th
were Bill and Chet and jeff Fisht
and were aged respectively %, 20 al
18 years.
"When your feet are good and war;
you will help yourselves to seats, W
YOU notf' the teacher said, pleasant
then added "but don't hurry, becau
it is still cod nt the back of the rooi
and you will have to sit in tho ba