The Manchester journal. [volume] (Manchester, Vt.) 1861-current, 1890-04-17
IN scHooL-BousE LOTT

IL sss cold and dark outside one vip'ry
evening 10 Jsbasrr. lsi5. bu, the school
hoass wss ssfm, and The roaring hard
wood ERE sen, out hsshes Of light through
the cracks 10 The sides Of the old stove and
the sqaare hole which bad been broken IN
the stove door.
The lisb, shone over the rough walls and
wooden benches. and even hickered family
through the windows. reaching cut into
the darkness.
The stove stood 10 the centre Of the
room. midsay between the door sod the
teachers desk. which was on little plat
form a, the end opposite The door Two
long rows Of unpain,ed desks aud benches
extended alobg each eide OF the room
those Of the boys side facing the girls side
opposite.
Ia the ceiling over tbs teachers desk
was trap-door. through which the boys
might aud often did crawl npserd into
the open space between the ceiling rni the
four.si1ed roOi The opfni4g vas made
when the house was built years before.
possibly with vague purpose Of assisting
ventilation
II was an uuususl thing for a fire TO be
burning 10 the school house stove at siI
o'clock in the evening. two hours after
school was dismissed: bnt on the previous
Sunday notice had been given 10 the vii
lsge meeting house. three miles away, OF
a meeting to be held. Wednesday evening
ct early esndle.lighi, IN the School house
OF District Number Seven.
Each remote school district 10 town was
favored with two or three of these even
ing appointments during the wInter, the
good parson driving about from district to
district to minister to the scattered mem
bers OF bis flock
Ii was the custom Tor nearly sllthe grown
people OF the district 10 attend these meet.
ings. Soon the farmers and their wives
would be coming ever the windy hills and
along the snowy roads, the men going
hsthu Nltu lHtlf bhlu W tut
way. the women bringing oil lamps and
tsllow candles to light the fchool.room be.
fore the parson came.
SO The teacher, who boarded near by,
had prepared the fire Of hard dry knots.
and left the school house door unlocked,
ready Tor the worshipper.
A faint light. hickeriog through the
window caught the attention Of boy who
was ploddiug YEARLY along the road. He
the little hill on which the school. house
stood. He tried the door, and, some
what to his surprise. fnding it unlocked.
passed in.
Crossing through the narrow entry, be
entered the school room. He drew the
teachers chair in front OF The fire, and sat
down to warm his hands and feet.
He was about sixteen years old. aud
looked tired, shabby and cold His boots
we're broken by long travelling; his clothes
we're sadly in need of mending, and there
was worn, hungry look in bis thin
face.
He looked about the school room as if
the homely room were lamiliar, and so it
had been. One year before, and for sew
eral previous winters, be had been pupil
there. His name, cut with a j4ck.knife,
struggled in awkward capitals across the
top of the desk john EDWARD DAY.
He had tired of the restraint OF the
school-room, He hated the routine work
OF the farm. He bad thought his father
stern, aud bis elder brother overbearing;
so be bad run away from home, planning
bis fight so that be would not be traced
and brought back.
OF course. like all runaway boys, he ex
pectcd to 6ud fortune in the city, and to
return home IN few years with plenty of
money, to be admired by the other boys,
and respected by the older folks.
He had learned 3 hard lesson. Lite
work was to be had, aud less pay. but
much OF cold, hunger, dirt discomfort,
|
with weary wandering by day aud hard
fare at night. This had been the luck of
the boy whose mother used TO tuck him
carefully into warm woollen sheets on a
winter uieht-the boy woo bad thought
few barn chores" 10 the morning q griev-
ous hardship.
60. 4 AZ ,n,tf Ia hon Il ,
could not go home in this plight. He
would try harder for work. and at least
earn some decent clothes He would will
ingy take the place OF a farm boy" now.
He bad learned. in hnmbling disappoint
ment and sorrow, how bard il was for n ,
green, fnendless country lad to obtain cm
ploy mrnt in the city, even enough 10
earn bis daily food for the times were /
hard. Id
But he gradually travelled nearer and /
nearer the home place. A, nigLtfali be I
asd crossed the tosn boundry. aud here
be was 10 The old sehool.honse. IL
| wonder II apy u the children have !
eli Their dinner pals Win pit oi iuuch- s
,ou ia them2 be said to himself, when the /
iea, Of the room had warmed bis chilled
rame. b
He went into the entry and felt careful
y along the shelf where the school chil /
lren we're IN the habit Of placing their (
,uils aud dinner baskets. A single pail q
lood there, which some forgeiiul pupii
,ad Left. John carried IL into the school &
oon. 10 !, he ionne a slice OF bread aud A
,nlt,r snd half eaten apple He ate .
hem bnngriIy, sad lopg,d Tor more. d
This looks like AIph smiths dinber. b
,sil. be thought know bed be glad 10 o
i've ne xh.t there Is IN II, II be knew
Iox huusry feel. would, II be wac 10 b
by piace.