Alpena weekly argus. [volume] (Alpena, Mich.) 1871-1893, 1890-08-27

1t was shabby, implanted and unin-
viting little wooden house, built mostly
by the farmers whose small and unat-
tractive homes dotted the prairie for
miles around it.
We had but four months school each
year, beginning usually the first of No
vember, so that the entire session was
held during the coolest and snowiest
season OF the year, when the thirty-five
or forty boys and girls who made up the
school were not needed on the farms.
Miss Dodge lived alone in little log
and-frame house. She and an elderly
brother had come to the West number
of years before my story opens. The
brother died year or two later, and
Miss Rebecca was left alone.
She hired man during the summer
months, but from October until April
she had solitary life.
She fed and cared for her horses and
COWS and pigs herself, and did so much
other outdoor work properly belonging
to a mans duties, that she could not
help appearing masculine in her man.
ner.
school-house was built so close to her
own.
~ jist know how it'll be, with pas
sci Of boys and girls whoopin' and yellin'
around all the time like pack of wild
Injuns, and dom all they can to poster
the life out of body!
81 lived in the house highest to the
school-house once, back East, and the chill
dren was perfect torment the huh en-
doorin' time They'd hook my flowers and
fruit and break my winders with their
balls, and come racin' all over my prim-
roses every day till had three or four OF
'em took up for committin' a trespass;
and even after that they was dretful
noosance, with all their racket and car
ryin' on!'
The pupils all knew how Miss Dodge
felt toward them and 1t did not tend to
an increase of affection for her on their
part
The first day of every term brought
Miss Rebecca to the school-house for the
purpose of giving the teacher his or her
''orders" regarding the pupils conduct
while on the playground.
81 jist come over TO say" she would
begin, standing grim and erect before
us, that l want you to make these
young ones keep their place on the play
ground, and not let 'em come round to
poster me- don't want one of 'em to
set foot on my place unless they come
over fera pail of water; and don't think
there's any use OF 'em drinkin' water
doorin' school hours, anyhow. It's only
habit they've got into Boys and girls
didn't do so in ny day. But want 'em
to know that amt goin' to be bothered
by EN-"
And out Miss Rcbccca would stalk,
arrayed, IL might be, In one of her
brothers old coats, worn over her short
and skinny skirts, and with a mans
hat set back on her iron-gray hair, which
she always wore short, TO save her.
self the trouble Of ''doin' 1t up" as she
said.
Sometimes, when we we're playing ball
on the playground, more vigorous
stroke than usual on the part of some of
the boys would send the ball into Miss
Dodge's yard, and woe to the boy who
climbed over the fence after II, II Miss
Rebecca saw him.
"Hi, you there!" she would scream,
In her highest and most shrill notes.
"What you doin' on my primises? Git
yourself right back there to where you
belong, or I'll make you wish you had;
and don't you ever dost to set foot on
my ground again.
And ono dreadful day Tom Green
wood, a big, fat but cowardly boy, gave
the ball such a whack with the ball club
that IL went flying over the fenco and
crashing through pane Of glass in one
of Miss Rebecca's little windows. The
teachers bell rang at that moment, and
we ran into the school-house, with Miss
Dodge in swift pursuit.
81 know who done It'll known she
cried, as we ran TO our seats. 1T was
you, Tom Greenwood I see you, and
b'lieve you done IL a-purposc! But
you've got IL to pay fer sir--indced you
havew
Tom bowed his head and wept before
such wrath as Miss Dodge exhibited.
But she seemed mercilcss. and, as she
left tbn school room, she walked by
Toms desk and gave him a ringing
slap on the ear.
Aftcr that the breach between Miss
Dodge and the school grew wider, al
though our toscher--a pretty young
girl from the East, toacaing hor first
korn,-tollrod long and .oarnoqflv In IA