Alma record. (Alma, Mich.) 1878-1928, 1889-05-24


, passengers were set on shore il wa
after dark. in driving rain storm.
The voyage had been "a rough one, and
sea-sickness mad reduced Bell To II state
OF utter wretchedness, and TO find her.
| self frendless in strange land was
not calculated to raise her spirits. But
the mere act OF stepping of the fitting
ship upon mother earth was a JOY in
itself. and her natural presence Of
mind stood her in good stead now.
In writing home about the expert
ences OF that first night she said she
came TO the conclusion that there was
no need OF being nervous. for there
were officials i'm uniform standing about
on every hand with apparently nothing
To do in the world but answer questions
| for just such nOvices Us she was. She
knew where she wanted to go, and
they could tell her how TO get there.
The good-natured custom-ho officec
examined her luggage in what he call
! ed quick-meter, and an obliging police
man picked out haclIman, whom he
knew to be an honest fellow, for her.
And that was all. Belle said il was not
much OF AN emergency, after all, when
| one had eyes and ears and tongue,
and knew enough not 10 ask questions
OF any body who did not wear some
kind of badge 10 show who he was.
Mrs. Outhet groaned in spirit when
she got this letter, at the idea Of girl
driving about a strange city after dark,
quite unprotected, but the doctor said:.
Trust to Bellies common sense, my
dear Mrs. Outlet. A bright. level
headed girl like she is can take ea"e of
herself
The excitement Of getting establish
ed at home and at school occupied the
| first few days, without leaving loop
hole for inconsistencies TO creep in. Belle
had argued with herself that she could
not afford 10 indulge in it at any time.
and If it laid pretty desperate siege to
her peace OF mind during the next win
ter, she never confessed il In her let
ters home. though, If the truth be told.
! 1t sometimes needed IA deal OF courage
to keep from captivating.
Matters did not always GO smoothly.
| In what walk in life do they, pray?
But there was the pure delight Of study
that nothing could lessen. To Offset
minor perpleXities th It one never gets
widely away from, there were the
agreeable courtesieS shown ner by
new friends. To one particular circle
OF people Belle always felt especially
grateful. This was club OF musicians
who held fortnightly Eat homes" to
which they made a point Of inviting
students who were strangers or alone
in the city. To these delightful must
cal evenings Belle owed many agreea-
nd MI F,.ia Ilh
With various long goings and short
comings the school years wore away.
The first summer vacation Belle spent
at home; the second year she worked
right on through the summer. devot-
ing the vacation season TO additional
studies.
Commencement came az last, and.
| rs might be surmised, when obstacles
had been encountered as a matter of
course. and had never been turned
into bugbears. Belle had good reason
TO be happy over her years of hard
work. The ink on her thesis was bare
" dry when "A request from the college
at Halifax to the Institute of Technol-
ogy TO recommend teacher OF sanitary
science 10 them, was formally presented
to Miss Outhet.
Surely steamer never sailed so
slowly as the one that bore her home.
but then it was heavily freighted
with hopes and ambitions The
change to at once step into useful and
remunerative professional work was
held precious secret until she reach
ed home. The pride she felt in il was
surely OF an honest sort. for was it
not proof that she had not been mis-
taken in thinking she could be of some
use IN the world? But there was no
commentator of school or college that
| compared in value with the pride in
Squire Outlets Ito think OF this be-
ing my Belle"
With a long summer vacation on
her hands, the active little woman
cast about for something TO do that
would be relaxation from study and
still keep her out OF mischief. There
IL was. acres Of it, spread out on
every side, and Belle quite took her
fathers breath away by suggesting
that they should go to work, he and
her, TO improve the estate. NJ wonder
the Squire was dumbfounded at the
idea OF young woman attempting to
do what generations OF men had un-
done. but Belle was very much in
earnest, and turn the matter over
as he would he could see no good rea-
son Tor refusing 10 let her try the eX-
pertinent.
Before long the neighbors were
greatly exercised over the spectacle OF
the Squire and his daughter "trampin'
up an down the mountain. across
back lots an low lands, a survoyin' an
goin' on at great rate.
The women said they "said think
she'd better be spinnin or dom some
thin useful" but the men said, Let
her alone an see what she kin do.
There's no better place in tn country
than tn Squire's. if twus only looked
after, put he don't know any thing
about farmin'; wuz always i'm politics,
games AL his family when he wuz
younger. An now he won't sell foot
OF his land, won't do nothin whit
himself ner let any one hev it tibet
could
Soon after this, fences began to 60