The Manning times. [volume] (Manning, Clarendon County, S.C.) 1884-current, 1889-11-20
Wednesday, November 20, 1889.
The District School.


Well take stroll up the road Nal
co!ln, said bis young aunt.
cali wight said Malcolm.
They had come, Malcolm and hi
parents and his fathers pretty sister
to pass the summer in Gloster.
Gloster was only a hamlet, but i
was cool and green and delightful.
We'll go along by this stone wall
DEAR said Amy.
They passed a maple grove, a LITTLE
old church, some farnl-houses, ant
then came suddenly upon a square
white building, with two doors il
front and yellow blinded windows
Out of the doors bare-footed children
with dinner pals, were coming.
ga district school, said Amy
s:And it looks so much like-but o:
course you don't remember, Malcolm
You were only two years DID,"
Smiling in e pleasantly retrospect
tive way, Amy strolled up to thf
door.
She would have congenial little
chat with the teacher Probably i
was a spinster with pointed nose ano
a shoulder shawl, but
She and Malcolm went in, and the
teacher rose from the desk.
He was hardly spinster! He wa!
tall, bright-eyed, dark mustached
indisputably good looking young
man.
'Oh!!" Amy faltered.
'sCome in!' said the schoolmaster,
though they were in.
Amy mustered her courage. L
was embarrassing, but after all il
didn't alter tie case. She would
have her congenial chat just the
same.
1--WE thought we'd come in" she
said, sweetly smiling. 'You see, ]
taught a term in district school once
myself, and"
Certainly" said the master. 81 an
always glad to have visitors. I'm sorry
my school is out.
He fastened forward to meet her.
and walked back down the aisle with
ber
ssI'd have been glad to see it, )" said
Amy--not very regretfully, however
s'See, Malcolm, dear, that rat on the
blackboard
eyes, I illustrate their lessons for
my primer children y said the teacher
laughing. 'They like my pictorial
efforts.
What pleasant laugh he had
and what clearness and gaiety in his
eyes!
Amy's heart beat "a little faster.
sIt's such work, isn't it, teaching
babies?" she said. "I had an infant
of three in my school"
ssOh, I draw the line there! But ]
have them as small as this young
man.
He pinched Malcolm's fat check.
Malcolm is FIVE, said Amy. "Have
you many pupils? l had only SIX
1een."
ssOh, T can beat that! I have forty. >
"And 20. do it all?" said Amy, hel
admiring eyes raised to his. "lm
afraid I'm presamptuous to try te
have congenial talk" she laughed
ambiguously. "Ycu see, I taught only
one term. I was spending the sum-
mer at Hinton, and the teacher was
taken sick the irst of the term, and
taught it for her. But I'm afraid
did it for fun"
Il shall rank you among the peda
goeues, all the same" the young
scLoolmaster declared saily. you've
taught q school, and the insincerity O.
your motive doesn't matter don
know why we can't have congenia
talk
Perhaps we can, said Amy, will
pretty laughter and blush.
They had 1t.
Malcolm, sitting close to his pretty
aunt on the bench, listened round
eyed, interested, if not comprehend
ing.
Amy wondered afterward how they
ever drifted from school methods ano
monthly examinations to the prettines:
of G!oster's rambIes and the pleasant
ness of the Clark's front porch, where
ANY boarded, and the excellence o.
their croquet ground. But they did
and they were honestly amazed wheu
the clock on the wall gave its 'tehlck
= for half-past FIVE.
They looked at each other in flushed
alarm.
Their acquaintance was an hour ane
half old.
Owe hindered you," Amy cried
sYou've got lessons to make out, O.
something
II haven't" retorted the teacher
with bright laugh. Il was goin:
home. I live beyond the Clarks, ant
I hope you'll let me go with YOU.
oCome, Malcolm, dear" said Amy
turning aside her smiling face.
Il don't suppose you will care To-
nv commencement" said the school
master, at the Clarks' gate. Its da.
after tomorrow evening. 1 call l
commencement in someirony-lts tn
mere stepping off OF my higher class
Only it's something of q celebration
here, YOU know. Everybody comes
and the school board and my graau
ates and ornament the platform pu
up for the occasion, and it's u grant
time-for Gloster. But it wouldn'
pay YOU"
"But 7 shall come. of course, salt