Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1888-11-09


II reckon she never kakilated to, eth
En-" continued Octavia, slyly looking up
from the corner of her lashes.
Indeed ~
NO; she was Just funnng with Seth
Davis that's all"
Cunning with bin ~
"Ne3 OH Kinder foolin' him, you
know"
"Niuder foolin him !"
For al Instant The master felt it his pro
fessiOn4l dIty 10 protest against this most
unmaidenly and frivolous treatment of
the ,nAtrimOnial engagement, bnt sec
| Oud glance At the Significant face of his
youthful auditor made him conclude that
ner distinctive knowledge OF her own sex
could be better trusted than his imperfect
theories He turned towards his desk
without speaking. Octavla gave an eX-
ira swing to her sGtchel, tossing it over
her shoulder with a certain small coquet-
! tishness and moved towards the door. As
she did so the infant Fllgee from the safe
vantage OF the porch where he had lluger-
| ed was suddenly mpelled to crownlng
audaLjty As If struck with an original
idea, but apparently addressing himself to
! space, he cried ont, "Crethy NJ knthry
! likth teacher" and instantly vanished.
Putting these incidents sterny aside the
master addressed himself to the task of
| setting few copies for the next day as
! the voices Of his departing flock faded
! from che porch. Presently silence fell
]
/ open door cool, restful breath stole gent
| ~ as il nature were agai2 stealthily taking
! possession of her own. A squirrel boldly
came across the porch, few twittering
birds charging in, stopped, beat the air
! hcstatiugly for "A moment with their
wings, aud tell back with bashfully pro.
testing breasts aslant against the open
door and the unlocked for spectacle of the
silent occupant. Then there was another
movement of intrusion. hut this time hui
man, and the master looked up angrily to
! behold Uncle Ben.
He entered with a slow, exasperating
step, lifting his large boots very high and
| putting them down again softly, as 1t he
were afraid of some insecurity in the floor
or figuratlvely recognized the fact that
! the pathways of knowledge were thorny
and difficult. Reaching the masters desk
and the ministerng presence above it he
stopped awkward,y, aud with the rim OF
his soft felt hot endeavored to wipe from
his face the meek smile 1t had worn When
he entered. 1t CHANGED also that he had
| halted before the minute stool of the in
fant tilgee and his large figure instantly
assumed such brobdignagian proportions
| in contrast that he became more embar-
raised than ever. The master made no
attempt to relieve MIN, but regarded him
with cold interrogation.
81 reckoned,' he began, leaning one
hand on the masters desk with affected
ease, rs he busted his leg with his hat
with the other, 81 reckoned-tbat isl
allowed-l orter say-that I'd find ye alone
at this time. le gin'rally are, ye know.
It's a nice, soothin', restful, stoodous time
when a man kin, 50 to speak, run back on
his dedication and think of all he ever
knowed. Ye're jist like me, and ye see
sorter spotted your ways TO onct.
Then why did you come here this
morning and disturb the school ~ de-
manded the master sharply.
That's SO, | sorter slipped up thar,
didn't ~ said Uncle Ben with smile of
rueful assent
You see didn't allow to come IN then,
but ,on'y to hang. round a leetle, and
kinder get used to it, and it to me-"
Used to what ?" said the master i'm
patiently, albeit with slight softening at
his intruder's penltent expression.
Uncle Ben did not reply Immediately,
but looked round as If for seat, tried one
or two benches and desk with his large
ly abandoning the idea as dangerous,
seated himself on the raised platform be-
side the masters chair, having previously
busted it with the flap OF his hat. Find
ing, however, that the attitude was not
conducive to explanation, he presently
rose again, and picking up one of the
school books from the masters desk, eyed
it uDskilfully upside down and then said
| hestatlngly
81 reckon ye amt usn' Dobell's 'Rith-
metc here ~
mo" said the master.
CHATS bad. Pears TO be played out
that Dobell teller. | was brought up on
Dobell. And Parsings grammar ? Ye
don't seem 10 be using Parslng's gram
! mar either ?"
NO. said the master relentiug still
more as he glanced at Uncle Ben's per
picked face with a faint smile
| And / reckon you'd be saying the same
of Jones's 'stronomy and algebry Things
| hev changed. You've got all the new
style here" he continued with affected
carelessness, but studiously avoiding the
masters eye. For man ez wos brought
up on Parsi1gs, Dobell and Jones thar
don't appear 10 be much show nova
! days"
The master did not reply Observing
several shades of color chase each other
on Uncle Ren's face he bent his own
gravely over his books. The fact appear
ed to relieve his companion who, with his
eyes still turned toward the window, went
on.
EFF you'd had them books-which you
! haven't had 1t in my mind to ask you
| suthen.' | had an idea of-of-sort of re
viewing my dedication. Kinder going
over the old books agin-iist to pass the
time, Sorter runnin' i'll yer arter school
hours and doing little practisin' eh ?
You looking Cd me AZ an eXtry scholar
and paying We as Sicd-but keepin' 1t
'tWlXt ourselves, you kuow-iust .for a
pasture, Ell ~
AS the master smilingiy raised his head,
he became suddenly and ostentatiously at
tracted to thc window
Then Jay birds out there is mighty
pe0rt, coming right up TO the school
house | reckon they think it sort Of rest
full too"
"But if you really mean it, couldn't You
use these books, Uncle Ben :" said the
master cheertully. II dare say there 5
little ditlerence--the principles the same,
you know
Uuce Ben's face, which had suddenly
frightened, rs suddely fell. He took the
book from the masters hand without
meeting his eyes, held it at arms Len 9Th,
turned it over and then laid il softly down
upon the desk as if it were some eXces-
sjvely fragile article Certainly" he
murmuIel, with assumed reflective ease.
Certainly. The principles all there"
Nevertheless he was quite breathless, and
At few beads of perspirdton stood out upon
his smooth, blank forehead.
"And as to writing, for instance" CON
timed the master, with increasing hearth
ness, rs he took notice of these phenom-
enH, ''you know any copy book will do"
He handed his pen carelessly to Uncle
Ben. Tue large hand that took it timdly
r,t onlu trp,phlaI hnt II wit h