The Stark County Democrat. [volume] (Canton, Ohio) 1833-1912, 1886-01-21
THE LONELY TEACHER.


upon the table Al last shs raised H.
glanced about the dreary school-room, and,
bursting into passion OF s,bs, dropped IL
again
Net, surely, a room 10 brighton thorough
ly tired, discouraged harassed, half sick
young woman II was large and barn-likei
the chlldren's restless feet had, departing,
left behind them footprints on the dirty
floor adapted from one-Longfellow); the
blackboards were cracked and the wood
work was OF that hideous shade OF buff
which seems 10 be, for some unknown reason,
always and In every Cline chosen 10 assist
IA tho edl ,tion Of the Juvenile mind Tho
Vntllator, closet like projection reaching
from floor 10 ceiling, suggested 10 the chance
visitor the existence OF u mental dumb
waiter, and miniature torpedo" as one
of the scholars called H. 10 the unfortunates
whose pedal extremities were within range
OF fta blast which blast caught up bita OF
paper In quite realistic cyclonlc fashion
The hanging Of the splint curtains must have
been designed by the conglomerate brains
OF the entire school board for surely
no other mind or minds could have been
equal 10 such a strain upon stupidity an
tilted the tops OF those curtains at the exact
anglo 10 throw n beam OF sunlight just
across the scholars eyes like golden riband
hlindfolding those young princes on tho
royal road 10 learning
However even In this dlngy room some
small, very small, concessions had bem made
10 the artistic, for wood ut OF tho father
OF his country hung, very crooked, 80 high
IN one corner that no On o could see II with
out turning back som ,rsault; and a mercy
II was, for the stupid dignity OF the figure
and tho benevolent idiOcy Of the face oHai'-
perated one to anything but emulation OF
tho virtues Of tho illustrious deoeafOd. In
fact Tom Smith, bu2Eing over his dates one
day, with his fiery head resting ON his chairs
back and his eyes wandering about tho coll.
ing, upon discovering II had whispered
across the aisle 10 Jim JonGai "That there
WashiDgton'a a confOunded old mutt.
Whereupon Jim Jones burning with patri'
otto ardor had invited him 10 have, IN the
coming recess, "every bone In his body
broke" but In hla wrath catching sight OF
tho picture, he cooled down, gave a nod In
which appreciation, disgust and apology
were adrotly blended, aud handed over hia
best agate M n pleceolforing,
Then, too there was chrome OF oolors
no brilliant ~ 30 morlt tho bon mot OF a
local art critic with regard to tho pastollo
of Baoher's In our recent art loan, "a tolo-
gram OF color"
Neither OF the beauties did Miss White
more notice In hor brief survey. Poor thing,
the day had been an exceptionally hard one,
10 begin with, she had oversight and then
hurried, broakfastless through two miles OF
depressing fog 10 school, was n minute late,
and had entered such fact upon her report
Thon the scholars had been unuiu lily
poisy and troublesome Bunyan's Pilgrims
Progress had been the spelling In vogue,
Minnie Gray hal failed on eyery question
put 10 her In history with mild eXpr, siion
OF grloycd surprise that she should be asked
any and whom Miss Whttemore, losing
patience at last inquired "Who Is the pres
hent Of tho UnitOd StatosN she had calmly
shaken out her long curls (hor brains had oil
run 10 hair and answered, "Why, MiN
Whittemore, don't know. You didn't toll
ua 10 learn that Willie Black oithor could
not Or would not understand that bin has
two sides and two ends; but tho climax had
come whom Ernestino Do Lormo, with aSolf-
approbalive Smle In reply 10 tho question,
"What animal In Siberia Is hunted for ia
flrp had al, answer, 1.-THE epongoh
Beside all this, she had boon mortified and
wounded by the importinont romarks OF AN
mlterato parent who cano 10 ayongo fan
cicd alight 10 her young hopeful, u brutal,
0vmgrown boy, with Just enough intellect
10 play marbles and chew tobacco,
a.. l..I a.l..
Eigtanoc, heard corrections, pott,d the reg
brtor, made out tho monthly report, viii h
required tho killing OH Of an unaccountcd
for boy, la out hor cry, and finally, rout
ing b. tao fact th ! II was almost dark, had
takon hor roll OF examination papers, which
seemed audibly 10 asserts "Wo'll dt heavy
ON your soul tomorrow and struggled
along the mud ly streets, trying b. forget
thu Annoyancos OF the day, TO conquer tho
rebollious thoughts arising In her aching
heart and 10 attain to mood suitable ~
Tho season.
Reaching home, small room In the third
story, back OF n boarding.houso, bcdragglod,
exhausted, lonely, she ank into chair gag
Ing out upon Uttered baol, yards and drip.
ping roofs for tho weather was un Christian,
az the landlady had asserted, adding "Such
days Ia NO opsCttin' ~, until tho tor boil SUM
monod her 10 hear Mr. Deans nocturnal ro-
mark and its accompanying chucklo;
"Evcnln', Mis- WhittemorG Bon a.teach.
In tho young idcar how 10 ehootN
Later, sitting In her room, shc heard the
door.boll's cheerful ding.O-llng-ling, What
II thoro about ring that always arousos
pleasant sense Of expectation "No one for
mo- wns her second thought, "unoS its
Jano for my cothcsn 80 whom tho stupid
maid-of'al.work appeared and said briefly,
"Fur you Helen bodo her ask up tho
girl What then was her embarrassment
upon socng a stylish young lady and a very
proud looking gentleman ontor
Holcn began apologies, but Miss flldroth
interrupted WITH ooh, I'm glad OF tho mis-.
take no that my brothcr-Dr Hildroth, MiN
Wittcmorc--tw with blrdliko nod Of her
sunny head toward whore hc stood, aud my
pclf, might como up 20 your pleasant littlO
room and moot you unocremoniously. You
zoe you're Jamio'a teacher and hos forever
quoting you ~ II you woro tcnth muse
Well, father onqurod and found you were
Che ouyhtor Of hia old ohum, Dr. White.
th'lNf NHNNl wv loNNh INV nIulnVIt unu nv
asked mo 10 call Immediately and try 10 win
your friendship And Mum1y-that's my
mothor-wants 10 know, providing you have
no Other engagement, II you won't spond
Che holidays with U.s. Now, please don't ro.
fuss, do Gomez All this before ono could
scarcely count throo
Wouldn't they be seated and stay awhiloi
They would aud did, for the evening, II was
Holen'a first biz Of the old life which sho had
known since she had left tho quiet, homo
town 10 toaoh In the city, after dear, old Mr.
Whittomore laid down his noble life and
passed into The Beyond, leaving his mother
less daughter little bnt the memory OF that
life, his tender blessing, and the large and
rare library collected In many lands and
through many years oh, II was hard 10
find herself 80 completely cut OH from tho
world 10 which she was born, 20 bo OF no
Importance, for how interest In young
lady docs die down, wbep, 10 the inquiry
"Who is that pretty, brlght-looking girlf
the answer, given indiIerently, Isl "Shoi
Why, she's only teacher In public