Union County courier. [volume] (Elk Point, Union County, D.T. [S.D.]) 187?-1913, 1886-08-18


Il have an opportunity Tor advancement
tn ny profession, said he, (which il wonld
III behooye me to put by. In my native
town y offered me a position Of trust and
confidence, no less, ] may say to you, dear
madam, than professors chair"
hadn't the least idea what he meant.
! knew that one chair differed very much
from another, and, whereas, one was COM
Portable, easy, enjoyable, another might be
Tor the time Icing seat Of torture, but
wherein professors chair excelled could
not Mt that time imagine. sat quite still
and the ruhe fell from my hand; my foot
rested upon the treadle Of the machine,
and Isat and stared at Mr.. Slade like one
demented.
And il has occurred TO me-" he went on,
shat the position have held here, which
10 an exceedingly easy and pleasant one,
might profitably and suitably he filled by
ono Of the other sex; the duties are not at
all hazardous, and could be performed
more raedily, itappears TO me, than those
pertaining 10 the needle. I have spoken
to the c0ramittee In your behalf, and with
. little attention upon your part TO the
simple mechanical requirements necessary,
and little help npon mine, you will be
ready TO fill the position at once"
aWhop !. MIR. Slade2 Why, you must
be crazy!
Then, feeling that this was not respect
ful way to speak, added that his kindness
for me had led him to overrate my capa-
bilities.
4Why, Mr.. slade, said l, II never got
beyond the four rules in arithmetic"
3And upon these depend everything"
he replied. aCome, put by your work, and
LA 1~nk, II f,s -
tempt"
II was of no use TO refuse. His was one
OF those material natures that always con-
quer. Half an hour after was sitting
close by his side at the table, with Charley's
slate under my blurred eyes and Charley's
pencil in my trembling fingers. The rosy
evening light streamed in upon US, the soft
south wind bringing resinous odors through
the windows from the wood where Charley
yet fingered.
"Now, my dear Mrs. Sweet said Mr..
Slade, and the very gentleness Of his tone,
the tender rendering of my name, made
me shiver ard shake, for l could not get
the thought out OF my head that when he
was gone there was nobody left to deej
tenderly with me or mine, "now pray try
and give your thoughts TO the subject in
hand. 1t is the simplest thing in the
world. and these rudiments once conquered
the rest win follow. Now, n man sold his
farm for $3.50, and fourteen fifteenths of
this is seyen-ninths of the cost of his
house, and the house cost seven times as
much as the store; now what was the cost
Of the house md storef"
His voice was SO persuasive, SO distinct,
it must have been o pleasant voice to
listen to at. school, even il the poor little
blockheads could make neither head nor
tail OF his meaning. looked at Mr.. Slade,
and then out of the window, where the
mellow light OF the sunset shone, and
awny over at the wooded hills beyond, and
Thought how, such little while ago, it
was spring landscape all bathed in ten
derest green, and now il was autumn, the
grass was sere and brown, the leaves were
falling, the branches like skeletons against
the evening sky.
"Madam-my dear Mrs. Sweet" said the
voice of the schoolmaster, II beg your
attention to these few first rules. 1t is
distasteful to me to leave you sprey to the
coarse habits Of these village women, who
faunt their finery in an obtrusive and I'M
becoming manner, and gfudge YOU the
poor reward for your labor"
"bhe said the seams were crooked, and
perhaps they were," ] said, for knew he
meant Mrs. Chapel. IL am not very good
at sewing or--anything." Then two big
tears rolled ont Of my eyes on Charley's
slate, and blurred the school masters
figures, which so distressed him that he got
up and took turn about the room again.
"Dear Mrs. Sweet he said, quite inn
ploringly, IF you would only make up
your mind 10 master these first rules. A
man sold his farm for $500"
"Ahd I'm sure he got good price for it"
broke in; "and whatever he got for his
house, 1t must have been all it was worth.
As for his store, don't know anything
about it; cant see that It's any OF my
business, Mr.. Slade, and / can't bother
with it just now. If il was house alone,
or a store alone. or afarm--but to cut them
all up and put them together again like a
patchwork Quilt Is impossible for me to think
of. Mr.. Slade, can't do 1t, never conld,
md it's ridiculous to ask me such thing,
MIR. Slade. All / can do after YOU 90
AWAY is to go on working for Mrs. Chapel
till drop dead; and If 1t wasn't for Charley,
wouldn't care how soon that would be-"
Then put my head down OH the table
and cried, ready to break my heart. I
couldn't help it. was the most wretched
creature in the world, and my heart was
full. couldn't help the cry, and I'm glad
now that did.
For suddenly l felt his strong arm
tremble on the back of my chair.
at is so sad and terrible. +" said, "to have
the seams always crooked, and Mrs.
Chappel--"
Confusion to Mrs. Chapel and her
crooked seams! Tell me, madam, Mrs.
Sweet-tcll me, dear little heart, would it
not even be better TO give your future to n
grim old pedegogue like me? II shall at
least be free from crooked seams and
phzzling problems.
heayed sigh Of relief, and his strong
arm fell sheltering areung me.
III heaven will vouchsafe to me, he
said, getting back TO his dear old wofdy
way, syour sweet coMranionship for all
the days to come, can even find Il in my
heart 10 be grateful 10 Mrs. Chapel and
wish her WE'LL"
don't know what / said, but everybody
knows that / never tohld see any fault in
Mr.. Elatie, mud don't to this day. He
fills his professors chair, and have ever
so maLy comfortable ones at home.
Charley is splendid mathematician, but
there is . little fellow just creeping in
fractions. and he came to me the other day,
his dear little brains sore and puzsling over
the self.saihe sum.
And please, MAMMA" he begged, "a
man sold his farm for 50; $50, and fourteen.
hfteenths IF this is--"
"Go to papa. darling" said; she found
out the cost of II long ago; but as for me.
dear, I'm glad to say that / never could
make it out-never."
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Thinking Women.