The Mason County journal. [volume] (Shelton, W.T.) 1886-1927, 1890-01-10
THAT DREADFUL TRAMP.
How Miss Penn Tried to Put Him
on the Right Pathway.

how MISS rem ITl0Q 10 Z uC I11ul
on the Right Pathway.
When Laura Penn found herself friend
less in the world, all her possessions
bounded by the four sides of Saratoga
.runk, and with purse in her pocket
holding exactly nineteen dollars and
twenty-five cents, she felt it necessary
TO think of something besides her
troubles, unless she desired to become
dependent on charity. She was now
paying a visit to friend, but she was
aware that visits should never be too
long.
The details of the causes that had
combined to throw her on her own re-
sources at nineteen years of age are not
necessary. Death, as you may suppose,
had been very busy, and there had been
the old story of name signed for a
friend, bankruptcy, home sold at auc-
ton, and broken heart.
Laura had nothing to do with all this
but to look on and wonder; to weep first
for her mother, and then for her father,
and to find herself dressed in black and
quite alone on earth.
One thing she had, however, that the
auctioneer'S hammer could not rob her
ola good education. She could GER
tainly teach. The thought came into
her mind one morning as she opened her
eyes, and with it the question: Show
shall get class or a SCHOOL," Adver-
tisement seemed to be the usual way, so
the girl advertised. If she had not
been very ignorant of the ways of the
world, she would certainly have given
initials or the number of post-office
box; but as she was a mere baby in all
that pertained to the working world,
the advertisement ended with: cad
1ress Miss Laura Penn, No. -
street."
Happily her friends did not read the
advertisements, so she was spared advice
and lecture and information as to the
improperly of her conduct; and the ad-
yertisement resulted in single call.
About nine o'clock the bell rang A
portly matron inquired for Miss Laura
Penn, and the girl hurried down stairs,
expecting to see the principal of very
important seminary for young girls
anxious to secure her services. In the
shadow of the curtained parlor she
could see only figure of large dimen-
5iOns, which arose and advanced toward
her.
''You don't know me-" said soft,
kindly old woman's voice, ''but I've
knowed you from babe. 1 served your
pa and ma with milk when you took it
from a bottle. l used to ride in
with my old man when first we
were married; later, when I was
widow, l served myself; now my
boy serves. But all along I've seen you
frequent, and if your pa failed, he paid
up noble. And when l see that you
needed to teach, and wanted school,
said, The poor childr here the old
lady was forced to hunt for her hand
kerchief to wipe away her tears The
poor child. when she'd been brought up,
so to speak, on cream. to come to earn
ing her own bread. But since she's in
want of school to teach, thank fortune
I've got one to give her, if she'll take
it,"
80, l remember you very we'll now,
Mrs. Cliff" said Laura, who was in tears
herself. ''And the milk was always SO
good, and how kind of you to tell me
about school. suppose you serve it
with milk"
mo, Miss Penn, I DON'T" said Mrs.
Cliff. cts only day school, but 1
board the teacher and l make her drink
all she can, for l believe milk to be
wholesome, and the way some of 'em
fatten up is astonishing. don't say it
because l have dairy, but the truth is
the truth. It's the district school at our
place, and Miss Chester, who taught last
year, is married, and 1 can get it for you
if you like. Twenty-Five dollars month
and board in. I'll arrange it shall be
with me, as di@ last year. There's no
great distance to walk and my family is
only me and my boy and my husbands
sister, and you'll be quite quiet, as folks
like to be after affection. I know that
myself"
"a country school. Hove the country
so much; shall be very glad, indeed, %
said Laura. "And / am so much Obliged.
Mrs. Cliff"
| SO 1t was settled. and after a certain
delay, and curious ceremony, supposed
to be strict examination of the new
teacher, had beenduly performed. Laura
found herself and her trunk in Mrs.
Cllffs FRONT, upstairs bedroom and mis-
tress OF little barn-like school-house in
the midst of the woods.
Inc scholars were all young and there
were not many of them. The books
we're not the best of their sort: the
blackboard was gray with age. and
| there was map of the United States on
he wall which. had it been studied nv
he scholars, would have misled them az
20 the number of territories.
However. most of the babies were still
IN their A. B. C's, or words of one svlla.
! Bile; and Laura hoped to influence the
| economical board to greater generosity
In time. She had suffered so much that
she could not expect happiness until
time had come to her aid, and rude sur
roundings or inelegant appointments
made little matter. The children wero
good enough; the little girls caressinp
lowers and big apples were on her desk
every morning. Little mouths were
lifted to her own in goodbye kisses
Any boy of them all was ready to dr.
escort duty; but the wood path, thoupb
long and lonely, only delighted her: and
Mrs. Cliff was kind and motherly. Or
the whole. her lines had not fallen in
unpleasant places.
For month after Laura Penn tegan
to teach the school the weather was
clear and bright, as September often is.
but with October came Monday with 4
great storm. The roads were sodden
the trees dripped; people kept their lit