The Cambria freeman. [volume] (Ebensburg, Pa.) 1867-1938, 1892-09-09
THE NEW SCHOOLMA'AM.
Nsomi's Unworthy Jealousy and
Her Reparation.
lis supper ready Naomi2r

David Pole had brought with him
breath of the cold outside air into the
room where his sister was ironing The
young people were alikc--tal, we'll
shaped. swarthy cOmpleNioned, with
regular features and large gypsy-blaclS
eyes, where the jetty lights seemed 20
swim At every breath.
A very old woman covering over
the stove had the same strange eyes.
although her hair, under its close
frilled cap. was bleached snow-white,
and her skin was the color OF old parch-
ment.
What We got?' the crone demanded,
as young Pole flung bunch Of birds on
the table.
Something for breakfast. granny
said he. I've been hunting in Callet
woods. Not much luck. thongh. !
say, Soami, / wish'd you'd hurry mp
supper
What for? II amt supper time
yet, and I've got ali the towels 10 do
yet"
.'Oh, bother the towels. | want To go
over to Skene's Corners tonight and see
MISS Stuart's new piano"
.Humph"' Naomi ironed away with
redoubled zeal. Miss Stuarts new
piano, indeed, / wish Miss Stuart was
further, and her new piano, too. HUT
you're like all the rest. Dave-a new
face turns your head. Hessie Holt and
her poor little parlor organ amt much
account now"
''Eh? What ye talllin' bout? Who's
Miss Stuart? Is Hessie Holt's organ ont
o tune ag'in? crooned out the old
woman by the fire
tyranny don't know, said Naomi
Il guess shes the only one that don't
Miss Stuart. granny? Why, she's the
latest fashion at SlIene's Corners. She's
the new schoolma' am. Ask our Dave
il you want To know all about her. Ask
any OF the young fellers.''
Ask john Classon,-' added David. an
grily. ''Naomis jealous-that' what
ails Naomi"
Naomi compressed her full red lips
and ironed resolutely on. The Old
grandmother fell into a sort of doze and
nodded over the stove. David Pole took
the lantern down from its nail against
the chimney piece.
If can't get my supper here" said
he, IN get IL over TO Classon's. IN
look after the cattle first"
And in a moment David was gone.
"He can do as he pleases, =" thought
Naomi, vindictively. There's nothing
supper, anyhow. Perhaps they'll have
something better at Classon's. Miriam
dy's good cook"
The clock had Just struck six, and
granny was stirring the homeiy brown
sugar into her first cup OF tea, when
gentle knock sounded on the warped
panel of the outside door. Naomi rose
to answer the summons.
A beautiful young woman, with red
gold hair, large ight-blue eyes and
complexion as delicate as a roseleaf.
stood there, wrapped in scarlet and
dark plaid shawl
Miss Pole?' she said, hesitatingly
Naomi inclined her head stiftiy.
Yes" she said, that is my name"
II am Eda Stuart"
Again Naomi bowed frigidly.
And" hesitated the new school
teacher, with smile that might have
melted the earthenware Cinnamon on
the lid of granny's teapot. but which
produced no sort of effect on Naomi
Pole, I've started out 10 visit a sick
pupiI-Louisa Ledyard-and I'm afraid
I've lost my way. 1 hadn't any idea il
would grow dark 50 soon, and 1 must
be back by seven o'clock for | expect
some friends TO try new piano that /
brother has half promised to come,
Miss Pole. Won't you accompany
him."
David isn't al home" said Naomi.
with sidewise glance at the road down
which her brother had strode some time
ago. And 1 don't care nothin' about
pianos"
Miss Stuart colored ana shranl back
She felt as If this hard. handsome bru-
nstte had slapped her ia the face.
Perhaps, then" said she, you can
tell me the nearest way home. It's
quite dark, you see, and" brushing
some white, needle-like particles out
of her face, Its beginning Ia snow"
Keep right along the path till you
come 10 the old stone tavern said
Naomi, indifferently. Then turn To
the right, and il amt more'n half ID
mile, or maybe three-quarters."
The bright-dressed girl still fingered
on the doorstep.
II am not very well acquainted with
the roads around here, =" said she. IF
you could send boy To show me-
I'VE don't keep no boy" said Naomi
And we've no one To send
Again Miss Stuart recoiled.
Good evening" she said, gently.
Good evening"
And Naomi banged the door shut.
AS she sat eating her supper and
helping granny to fresh supplies of
homemade bread and butter sudden
thought darted into her mind.
In giving Miss Stuart the directions
for finding her way back to Sl<ene's
Corners, she had forgotten the young
strangers ignorance of the neighbor-
hood characteristics.
1t was true that the regular road
branched off to the right of the ruined
pile which had once been an old stone
tavern, but there was also a disused
thoroughfare which led through a dis
NAL swamp towards long abandoned
stone quarry, across a rotten corduroy
road, which had nearly sunk into one
of those frightful qualSing bugs which
sometimes appear in dense anG swampy
woods.
To one unaccustomed to the local to-
biography il might be perilous V easy to
stray off into the weed-growu and de-
serted track, especially when every
thing was whitened with fast falling
snow.
Naomi sprang up and went TO the
door. She looked out, with one hand
held above her eyes.
Am losing my Wits? she thought.
''Of course / cannot see half a dozen
rods down the road. Its dark a. pitch
and showing in the bargain. Let her
go her own gait! l amt responsible,'
sudden light blazed in her eyes, rs
If Satan's self had flashed a lurid bomb
she'll across her soul John Classon,
her own STEADY company" had been
dazzled-at least SO spoke the tongue
of popular rumor-by the glitter of Eda
Stuart's sea-blue eyes. She, the late