The Farmington times. [volume] (Farmington, Mo.) 1874-1902, 1898-12-29


ircu .u invasion OF measic, right iu the
middle OF the term neccsslintiug va
cation Of two weeks, AID Director Hath
away had insisted that the teacher
make zap the lost time, much 10 the dis.
gust Of the younger children. who had
thus been deprived OF their holiday
freedom
But the teacher had not been IN the
least inc0mmuded 10y this prulongation
Of the term. Herbert Allen had en-.
joycd bis first term in q country school
J or some reason. which hr had never
stopped 10 auaylze. there had been a
peculiar fascination about his work, al.
though Il had been m u sphere Of life
and amidst environments 80 different
from what DE- had dreamed Of n year be.
fore And Sc; hg had uHwiti,BEl, in.
CURED tine Gispicasure OF the school
board and had been recently Informed
that his services would not be needed
longer,
And now. on the last afternoon Of De.
crmber. the term wHs over. The scAaa!
had closed With "rNcrciscs' and the
whole community had turned out TO
hear them. The bays had siummercd
through their pieces, the big girls had
read their essays" and the little ones
had gone through their songs and EMO.
ton exercises" 20 their own great salts
faction and the infinite delight Of their
ndmiriug parents Director Hathaway
end Elder Sloane. al the teachers In.
citation. had talked cdifyiugly on the
advantages Of an dedication" and the
proper training Of the young" and the
teacher had spoken few words OF
modest farewell.
At last all was ever, the last scholar
had said good.by 10 the teacher and
gone. The young master seated him.
self at his table and sighed deeply as be
looked around the now quiet room, Is.
Fecially rs his eyes rested upon the seat
u Helen Hathaway, the charming
young daughter OF the director.
The Schoolhouse, on whose inicIs5r
be was 40 diAeonsolately gazing ns the
setting sun shoEe through its win.
lows and lighted up the familiar OBJ
ieets-the charts and pieturra on the
walls. the neatly executed maps and
drawings, the specimens OF busy
work" done by the children, the notices
aud diagrams and quotations on the
Dlackboardk-ha been indeed a pleas.
ant place 10 Herbert. save for the one
disturbing incident Many a cheerful
modern schoolroom eau be found In the
country districts OF the middle western
,tates, and II Is easy to see how an en-.
lhusinstic, refined young man like Her.
bert Alien could become attached 10
such pleasant, intellectual workshop.
II would have been even easier to un-
derAtand his fondneAS for the spot II
one could have seen the sweet face OF
Helen Hathaway and noted the deep IN.
terest which she evinced In her algebra
and history and the readiness which the
young teacher Displayed to help hSs. s. s.
her pursuit Of knowledge. II would
have amused disintcrested observer
to see the earnest devotion with which
the pedagogue and his most advanced
scholar deived into the mysteries OF
quadratic equations and how willing
the young man appeared 10 show" his
interested and interesting pupil.
Such amiability. however. was not AZ
all pleasing to john Warren, another OF
the oldest, though by no means bright
eat, sehoiRrs in school. Before the ad.
vent Of The new teacher, John had been
the recipient OF an occasional smile
from the directors daughter, but OF
late the young lady had apparently for
gotten the young man In her seep alb.
sGsption In algebra aud history.
II was this unfortunate condition,
speaking from John warrcn's stand.
point, that had led 10 Mr.. Aliens dis.
eomiitnre. Squire Warren was a neigh
Dor of Director Hathaway ard the two
farmers were Arm frt.sds. SO when the
squire's son began TO make disparagine
remarks about the teacher, and the IN.
thcr. whose faith In bis oaly son was
unbcundcd. had become prejsdieea
against the young man, he mentirned
this matter to the director and easily |
persuaded that worthy ofsirial. whose
acquaintance With The teacher had ex-
tended little farther than had been In
TO the duty az making d con-
tract with him, that '.yauag Alien" vas |
not ~ft perpon 70 conduct our school. |
Ii d ton familiar With N scholars ..aa !
Assn.t enoueh dixnisy 10 all such re-
npqualhis pssition.A