Middlebury register. (Middlebury, Vt.) 1886-1937, 1886-02-26

ulll'lthl NlldilntIS ny guests uOlHS lne
talking and mild, reticent Mrs. Whipum
listening attentively.
"rhe first Monday arter Thanksgiv-
ing found the little brown schoohouse
well filled with half-grown girls, and a
larger crowd of boys clustered about the
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
for the 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 lame old mare and the
antiquated yellow pung, that had done
service since long before the earliest rec
objections of any of them. Not that the
boys dislilied the deacon not in the least !:
he was very genial and popular man,
but there were Enthusiastically vulnerable
points about the deacon's turnout, and
they saw an opportunity to embarrass
the new teacher, and thus "score point
at the very outset
But while they stood shivering about
the door, kicking the new snow from
their cold feet, and wipng their red
noses, gay iangle of bells cut through
the frosty air, and handsome horse and
cutter-the very handsomest the children
had ever seen-dashed up to the door,
and an equally handsome young man
sprang out and assisted a pretty little
lady to alight.
"Iou have nice crowd of boys, Miss
Grey" the young man said in a half UNI
dertone, yet somehow sufficiently loud
to reach the ears of the gaping boys
and am sure you will have "A splendid
school. Wen come up to visit your
school one of these days
eyes. | am to have nice big school
and they told me they were splendid
scholars, too; so hope you will all come
up to see us by-an-by."
glanced pleasantly around at the crowd
of scholars that clustered about the door
and after a merry goodbye the young
man drove off, and she entered the school.
! house.
As she hung her hat and cloak on the
nail back of the teachers desk anC
turned to her scholars. she noticed thai
a profound hush had fallen upon them
\ glance at her watch showed that it YET
lacked twenty minutes of nine, but evil
IDENTIFY this was the moment to call the
school to order. and she did so. Every
scholar settled quietly into his seat, eX
cept three great hulking fellows, dresse,
in coarse grey pants and blue and whit,
hOmeSpun frocks belted with wide Leather
belts, which looked like nothing so mucl
as Il saddle girth. These three still stooC
with their backs to the little stove. bal
ancing their heels now and again agains
the hot iron. which Kissed and spluttereC
aS the snow melted from them.
Miss Grey went about quietly taking
the names of the pupils, with a pleasan
word and smile for each, until sh,
reached the young men who still stool
by the stove. They gave their name,
grutlly and with averted eyes. They
We're Bill and Chef and jeff Fisher, anC
were aged respectively -, 20, and Il
years.
"When your feet are good and warm
you will help yourselves to seats. viii
you not?" the teacher said, pleasantly
then added "but don't hurry, becaus,
it is still cold ut the back of the room
and you will have to sit in the back row
because you are so tall" She smiled Il,
she said so, and this time she caugh
their eyes. II guess know some mothe
that is proud of her big boys" she adde,
in an undertone as she held her hand GU
toward the warmth of the stove. "DiC
she do all this weaving?" she inquired
touching the scant frock-sleeve of til,
elder brother. II used to help mothe
weave just such cloth when she was liv
ing she said softly; IL always liked t,
work in wooden yarns" Again she glanc
ed up with her bright soft smile, that wa
this time saddened by the memory of he
mothers death, and was met by tire,
pair of eyes, all bent earnestly and sym
pathetically full upon her.
The young men were not really cold
they had not stayed by the stove for tn,
sake of comfort, but to show that they
paid no regard to the call to order. Blu
now that she had said they should no
make haste to take their seats, but shOulC
wait until their feet were quite warm
they instantly spurned the idea of tn,
possibility of cold feet, and aftera noe
to each other they walked quietly t,
their places.
As the "Fisher boys" had long been {
sort of mental barometer to the rest o
the school, the other scholars seeing then
take out their books quietly and go abou
their studies, did likewise, and, as re
suit, Miss Grey had very orderly