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

about our duty toward Miss Rebecca, as
a woman who was growing old, and
whose life had been embittered by many
sorrows and misfortunes.
But we were not always kind and just
to Miss Robecca. We said and did things
which we ought not to have said or
done. Sometimes We did annoying
things thoughtlessly, but, again, our
mischief was premeditated and inex-
cusable, as was the case whom some OF
the boys slyly opened the door of her
pig-pen, and allowed the fifteen head OF
hogs she was fattening for market TO
rush out into the highway; and some OF
them went so far before poor Miss Re-
becca could overtake them all that she
spent most of the day getting them
home again.
! remember now how pale and tired
she looked as she came up the lane,
driving the last of the rebellious pork
ers before her.
And while she was gone tho boys had
made an onslaught on her flock of geese
with icy snowballs, and one old gander
lay dead by the roadside, while another
had broken wing.
II had been a wonderfully bright and
warm day in January; the air was as
balmy as April, and the sky blue and
cloudless. We had had the four win.
dows of our little school-room open, but
a cold wave of wind came sweeping in
suddenly In the middle of the afternoon,
and the teacher had hastily lowered the
windows and put more wood into the
stove.
The broad bands of sunshine disap.
peared suddenly from the floor, and II
seemed darker than usual.
1t was about this time that Miss
Dodge came home with the last of her
runaway hogs, whose absence she had
not discovered until they had been gone
more than an hour.
sat close by window, and saw her
stop suddenly when she came to where
the dead gander lay. She stopped over,
picked 1t up by the feet and noted how
its long neck hung Imply down; then,
giving it toss, she went on into the
house, shaking her fist wrathfully TO-
ward the school-room as she walked
away.
Halt an hour later boy sitting neal
me shrugged his shoulders, gave a
chuckle, and said in a whisper behind
his slate:
''She's comingl''
"WhoP" I asked
''Old Miss Dodge. And won't some
body get 1t now!'
Iglanced out of the window and saw
Miss Dodge coming swiftly toward the
school-house, and before she reached 1t,
nearly every pupil knew, by the looks
and signs and sly whispers Of others,
that Miss Dodges expected visit was
about to be made, and we anticipated a
lively time.
Wilfred Long, the boy who had opened
the gate of the pig-pen, looked slightly
white and nervous. He was only four
teen years old, and not q very brave boy,
after all.
We were all breathless with excite
ment when Miss Dodge opened the
school-room door and marched in.
To our utter amazement she said, in
low, firm voice:
miss Percy, you must dismiss school
at once and send the children home.
There's goin' to be q big storm. I've
lived in this country fifteen years, and ]
know the signs. Don't stop to hear an
other lesson, but bundle the children up
and start 'em off home right away. My
horses are harnessed up, and I'll be
round with my big bob-sled in five min
utes to take them home that live fur
thest away. The Dwight, Barnes,
Greenwood and Long children, bundle
up quick as you can"
Miss Dodge went running toward her
stable, while Miss Percy at once dis
missed school and began helping the
little ones into their cloaks and hoods.
In very few moments Miss Dodge
came driving up with pair of bob-sleds,
on which her wagon-bed was placed.
The wagon-bed was full of clean
straw, and Miss Dodge see med to have
put into it every shawl and quilt and
blanket and other bed-covering in her
house, besides two big buffalo-robes and
bear-skin.
The children living near the school.
house were already running across the
prairies toward home. 1t was growing
darker and colder every moment, and
Miss Dodge said;
Jump in--no time to lose! Snuggle
down in the straw and cover up best you
can. Set close together, and you'll
keep warmer. Here we go G'lang,
Jinny-git up, Charley"
And as she spoke, away we flew over
the plain, with the wind whistling
around our ears and the sharp, icy
snow-fakes flying into our faces.
There were in tho sled Ned and
Bessie Dwight, Tom Greenwood and his