Lancaster daily intelligencer. [volume] (Lancaster, Pa.) 1864-1928, 1889-09-21
"rm .waeged ef know. answered the


As I passed through the hall I saw Mrs.
| Zeke and Ollie bringing in the refresh
mepts. The latter consisted Of nuns passed
round In huge basket and lemonade car
ried In large tin pail, followed by Young
were ,rt is 70 be Coffee fee and appie-ris, beer and
| pretzcls.
entered my room sick at heart and
walked languidly to the bureau where
had len my novel. On the book lay let
ter ADDRESSED 10 me in the familiar hand
Philadelphia. Martin Luther must have
brought the letter since supper, and Mrs.
Zeke had probably placed it upon the
bureau since had left the room half an
hour ago. How pleasant II would he,
thought, II all the directors and patrons of
and looked at the letter some time before
opening it. reco;lect distinctly In what a
| listloss manner l tore the edge of the en-
velope; how languidly ! began reading,
| and with what sudden bound my de-
pressed spirits rose. 1 almost wept for JOY.
as read the hurriedly written lines. And
| I had good cause, too, for they informed
| me that had been elected chief librarian
| of one of the largest of Philadelphias pub
| lie libraries. "Your duties" wrote Mr..
Hale, twill be comparatively light, and, as
| YOU are lover of books, congenial also.
| you are now receiving and 1t may be in
creased. Your thanks are due to Mr.. Sted-
more more than to anybody else for your
election, although your guardian, and ELL
lott, Ivison, and your fathers old friends
all helped. and did what little could. II
you accept the Office you are to take charge
on July 1. Please address me at once at
the Continental"
How eagerly sat down to answer tho
letter. Ny country life had been growing
almost insupportably montonous l had
made up my mind nevertheless, that come
what would, must continue to teach, for
| saw no other means OF earning my iveli-
hood. Yet for tho past two weeks ! had
been thoroughly satisfied that I should
lose my school-that the Normal certificate
was certain to be elected In my place.
What then would become of me? This
question had haunted my waking and
sleeping hours, and knew not how to
answer 1t. Aud now at the very moment
of deepest dependency the answer had
come.
discovered upon sitting down at my
little writing table that my ink was al, !"
as Mrs. Iekc would have said, and l was
compelled to go down stairs to borrow
some from Martin Luther. / thought II
took Martin long time to find his ink.
While waiting in a small room next the
kitchen, l was forced again to listen to
conversation not intended for my ears
Two of the school directors were discussing
my shortcomings over their pipes. There
was no escape for me, and was therefore
compelled to stand quietly and share the
fate of all eavesdroppers.
An why amt teacher a-showin' her
self at the party. I'd like to know" The
speaker was my old friend Hegener.
"Seems as If she was a little proud with
herself amt it does?' responded voice
| recognized as belonging to Mr.. Jacob
Ochs.
"She amt showed herself all evenin,
not oncet. I don't call that a-makin' your
self common. It's her place to be sociable
with us ANTI"
"Seems as if she didn't know we was
a-coniu' here to- night, amt it does?'
Looks as if she thought herself too
muchly refined fer us, a-ready yet-a:nt !?
But the board meets next week, an the
teacher and her doin's III be discussed, an
I'm goin' to Jess up an tell 'em as how she
don't do her duty, still this bein' free
America an no aris- to- krassy."
Z" Yap. yuu, an wen haf to tell 'em,"
added Jacob, shaking his head gravely,
" as how she gives them children sums in
substraction pefore she puts 'em in a copy
book an ink bottle. When l went to
school, we was put in copy book an n
ink bottle before we was set a-doin' of
sums in substraction, amt so?" / think
teachers pay orter be cut down.
"Or else we orter give the school to the
Normal certificate ?" said Mr.. Hegener.
"Seems as if we orter--ain't.it does?"
Before they could say another word,
stood before them. They started back
abashed, confused at my sudden and un-
expected appearance.
.'Oh, Mr.. Hcgener," l said cheerfully,"
will you kindly present my resignation to
the board ! shall not teach after this
week, and do not care to take the trouble
to send written resignation. Good even
ing"
Iknew that this was not pleasant sur
prise to the directors, and was glad of IL.
1t deprived them of the pleasurable salts
faction of mortifving me, and / knew that
they were greatly disappointed in conse-
quence. | felt very triumphant rs l re-
turned to my room with the bottle of ink
which Martin finally brought me.
Two weeks afterwards j babe farewell to
Sandersville. / had made great many
friends there who were sorry 10 see me
leave and with whom / was sorry to part
But what moved Inc most was the grief of
my school children. l shall always wear
the ring which they gave me on the
day INV school closed, and treasure il for
their sakes. | carried with me also pres
ent from Bob Mucklehenny-a beautiful
pigeon house which he had made and
painted himself, and which contained a
pair of pretty fantailed pigeons.
As the stage rolled numbering onward
towards the old inland city of Lancaster,
the feeling of sadness which at first op-
pressed me wore gradually away. l began
To think of the future, and was soon as
happy as the birds that sang in the hedges
of the roadside.