Idaho semi-weekly world. [volume] (Idaho City, Idaho Territory) 1875-1908, 1890-01-10
THAT DREADFUL TRAMP.
How Miss Penn Tried to Put Him
on the Right Pathway.

VueH Laura rem IOuHu nGrS6lI IFlenu-
less in the world, all her possessions
bounded by the four sides of a Saratoga
trunk, 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 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
|
her mind one morning as she opened her
eyes, and with it the question: "How
| shall | get class or 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 a post-ofice
box; but as she was a mere baby in all
that pertained to the working world,
the advertisement ended with: "Ad
lress 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 adj
vertisement resulted in a 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-
sions, 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. served your
pa and ma with milk when you took it
from a bottle. | used to ride in
with my old man when first We
were married; later, when l was
widow, | 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, |
t said, The poor childr here the old
lady was forced to hunt for her hand
2 kerchief to wipe away her tears" The
\ poor child! when she'd been brought up,
T.. so to speak, on cream, to come to earn
l.. 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
8 it,"
e 80, remember you very we'll now
: Mrs. Cliff" said Laura. who was in tears
s herself And the milk was always Sc
7 good, and how kind of you to tell me
: about school. ! suppose you serve i
q with milk"
|, Cliff. Its only day school, but
board the teacher and | make her drinl
r all she can, for | believe milk to b'
| wholesome, and the way some of 'en
0 fatten up is astonishing. | don't say i
e because | have a dairy, but the truth i
the truth. It's the district school at on
@ place, and Miss Chester, who taught las
e year, is married, and | can get it for yo'
if you like. Twenty-Five dollars mont
and board in. I'll arrange it shall b
t. with me, as die last year. There's n
k great distance to walk and my family i
l. only me and my boy and my husband
e sister, and you'll be quite quiet as folk
10 like to be after affection. | know tina
d myself"
II "A country school. Hove the countr
k so much; shall be very glad, indeed,
| said Laura. ''And | am so much obliged
Mrs. Cliff"
So it was settled. and after a certai
1t delay, and curious ceremony, suppose
IS to be strict examination of the ne
" teacher had beenduly performed, Laur
70 found herself and her trunk in Mr.
e Cliffs front, upstairs bedroom and mi
Ii tress of little barn-like school-house
the midst of the woods.
lie The scholars were all young and thei
id we're not many of them. The bool
70 we're not the best of their sort; IL
blackboard was gray with age, an
here was a map of the United States {
ho he wall which. had it been studied
Id ehe scholars. would have misled them
Oh 10 the number of territories.
III However. mos, of the babies were stl
X in their \. H. C's, or words of one syll
ble: and Laura hoped TO influence Il
an economical board to greater generosl'
Re. in time. Sha had suffered SO much tb
it she could not expect happiness un
IN lime had come to her aid, and rude ST
'st roundings or inelegant appointment
by made little matter. The children we
re rood enough: the little girls earessln
NJ lowers ami hir apples were on her de
!, iu every morning. Little mouths We
AZ lifted to her own in goodbye kiss
-, ANY boy of them all was ready to
ah escort duty: but the wood-path, thou
long and lonely. only delighted her; a
as Mrs. Cliff was kind and motherly.
Id the whole. her lines had not fallen
yer unpleasant places.
-sh For month after Laura Penn beg
ip- to teach the school the weather "
clear and bright, as September often
M but with October came a Monday wit
ng rreat storm. The roads were sodds
% the trees dripped; people kept their
TO tie girls at home. The boys ca