The Democratic advocate. [volume] (Westminster, Md.) 1865-1972, 1891-01-03
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AN ATTRACTIVE YOUNG PERSON.
From All the Year Round.
CHAPTER I.

"I'm afraid Mrs. Piggin will have to
go, said the rector.
Mr.. Sowerbutts, stout, middle aged
farmer, grunted his dissatisfaction. The
other members of the Little Puddington
School Board offered no opinion.
eyes; l think we must give the old lady
quarters notice, and get rid of her, y
continued Mr.. Dowthwaite. "She is ter
ribly behind the age, there's no doubt OF
that. The school has earned hardly any
grant for the last two years"
Mr.. Sowerbutts gave another grunt,
meaning to express thereby his contempt
alike for Mrs. Piggin's grant earning pow
ers, the grant, and the Education Depart
ment.
II expect in another year the Inspector
will bring down the wrath of the depart
ment upon us in earnest. Perhaps they
will dissolve the board and order the cleo
tion of new one"
"That won't do, nohow," said Mr.. Sow
erbutts, decisively.
"Then Mr.. Sowerbutts moves that the
present holder of the office of schoolmis-
tress be invited to resign, and that the
chairman be requested to insert advertise
ments for new teacher in the Church
Times and other newspapers" said Mr..
Dowthwaite, making ajotting of the motion
as he spoke. "Mr. Wintle seconds the
notion" he added, with glance in the
direction of that gentleman. Mr.. Wintle,
whose eyes had been fixed the whole time
on the rector's face, gravely nodded; and
the rector rose from his chair to intimate
the meeting was at an end.
Mr.. Dowthwaite spent the whole of the
afternoon in drafting an advertisement and
sending copies of it to various clerical and
scholastic newspapers. "Must be sound
churchwoman. One able to play the
harmonium preferred" he added to the
list of requirements. There was stand
ing difficulty about getting not utterly
incompetent performer on the harmonium
at Little Puddington, and the good rector
thought he might as well make the obnoxi-
GUS education act useful for once.
The interview with Mrs. Piggin he de-
ferred till the following morning as being
the most unpleasant part of the business.
1t went off, however, better than he had
feared. By degrees he got the old lady to
understand that if she sent in her resigna-
tion it would be gratefully accepted, and
she would be considered as having put the
parish and the country generally under an
obligation.
"You see, Mrs. Piggin, we are obliged
to follow the times said good natured
Mr.. Dowthwaite, in an apologetic tone.
ave can't afford to lose the grant another
year, We really can't.
"Oh, l suppose not, sir, said Mrs. Pig
gin, fixing her eyes on the rector's face.
"Tve been schoolmistress in this parish for
two and twenty years, an we've done very
we'll without any grant. I've brought up
my children to learn their catechism and
do their duty, like their fathers before
them. ! can't teach French an drorin
an such like; and much good it would do
them if could.
However, Isaved enough, thank Heaven
to be Independent Of every one; and
Betsy Jane Pugh, stop talkin' and go on
with your sum or it'll be the worse for
ye."
The rector listened in silence, and finally
made his escape, thankful that the most
disagreeable part of his duty as reformeI
was over.
But his difficulties were by no means at
an end. The day after his advertisement
appeared he received 127 applications fol
the vacant post; the next day brought him
213; the third day produced ninety-six
All the applicants were able to teach
every necessary subject, as well as several
which were not necessary, and every one
was able to produce testimonials of the
highest possible character.
In his despair the rector turned to his
sister-in-law, Miss Jordan, who had KEEP
his house since the death of his wife, ant
humbly sued for her advice and assistance
But Miss Jordan was an elderly lady will
strong, old fashioned prejudices, and sh,
objected to the new scheme altogether
She sarcastically advised the reinstalmen
of Mrs. Piggin-a course which was plainl,
out of the question. Mr.. Dowthwait,
then turned for help to his curate, tn,
Rev. Augustine Cope, meek and gentle
manly young man, who acted as unpait
secretary to the rector when there wa
anything troublesome to be done. Mr.
Cope took the mass Of papers home to hi
lodgings and made an attempt to select