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


colm,' said his young aunt.
ssAll wight said Malcolm.
They had come, Malcolm and his
parents and his fathers pretty sister,
to pass the summer in Gloster.
Gloster was only hamlet, but it
was cool and green and delightful.
well go along by this stone wall,
DEAR" said Amy.
They passed a maple grove, little
old church, some farm-houses, and
then came suddenly upon a square,
white building, with two doors in
front and yellow blinded windows.
Out of the doors bare-footed children,
with dinner pals, were coming
ga district school" said Amy.
"And it looks so much hke-but Of
course you don't remember, Malcolm.
You were only two years old"
Smiling in pleasantly retrospec-
tive way, Amy strolled up to the
door.
She would have a congenial little
chat with the teacher. Probably it
was aspinster with pointed nose and
shoulder shawl, but
She and Malcolm went in, and the
teacher rose from the desk.
He was hardly spinster! He was
tall, bright-eyed, dark mustached,
indisputably good looking young
man.
ssOh!" Amy faltered.
"Come in!" said the schoolmaster,
though they were in.
Amy mustered her courage. 1t
was embarrassing, but after all it
didn't alter tie case. She would
have her congenial chat just the
sane.
"We thought we'd come in,' she
said, sweetly smiling. 'Iou see, l
taught term in district school once
myself, and
Certainly" said the master. Il am
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
her.
I'D have been glad to see it, said
Amy--not very regretfully, however
s'See, Malcolm, dear, that rat on the
blackboard"
eyes, illustrate their lessons for
my primer children" said the teacher
laughing. "They Ike my pictorial
efforts"
What a pleasant laugh he had,
and what clearness and gaiety in his
eyes!
Amy's heart beat little faster.
sIt's such work, isn't it, teaching
babies?" she said Il had an infant
of three in my school.
ssOh, I draw the line there! But l
have them as small as this young
man
He pinched AIalcolm's fat cheek.
malcolm is five, said Amy. "Have
you many pupils? had only six
teen.'
s.Oh, can beat that! Ihave forty
sAnd yo. do 1t all?" said Amy, her
Eadmiring eyes raised to his. 'Im
afraid I'm presumptuous to try to
have a congenial talk" she laughed,
ambiguously. s'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 l
did it for fun
q shall rank you among the peda-
gogues, all the same" the young
sc6oolmaster declared saily. you've
taught school, and the insincerity OF
your motive doesn't matter. | don't
know why we can't have congenid
talk
Perhaps we can, said Amy, with
pretty laughter and blush.
They had It.
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 and
monthly examinations to the prettiness
of Gloster's rambles and the pleasant
ness of the Clarks front porch, where
ANY boarded, and the excellence OF
their croquet ground. But they did;
and thev were honestly amazed when
the clock on the wall gave its 'tehick
for half-past FIVE.
They looked at each other in flushed
alarm.
Their acquaintance was an hour and
half old.
aTve hindered you" Amy cried.
"You've got lessons to make out, or
something
Il haven't retorted the teacher,
with bright laugh. Il was going
home. I live beyond the Clarks', and
I hope you'll let me go with you.
"Come, Malcolm, dear" sald Amy,
turning aside her smiling face.
Il don't suppose you will care for
nv commencement" said the school
master, at the Clarks' gate. Its day
after tomorrow evening. | call 1t
commencement in someirony-its the
mere stepping off Of my higher class.
Only It's something of a celebration,
here, Sou know. Everybody comes,
and the school board and my gradu-
ates and I ornament tie platform put
up for the occasion, and it's u grand
time-for Gloster. But 1t wouldn't
pay YOU"
'But I shall come, of course, said
Amy, and then blushed for having
oo,l COZ nnurca