Wauwatosa news. [volume] (Wauwatosa, Wis.) 1900-1948, 1900-12-15
AN INTERRUPTED DREAM.

hESt country school. The last day had
come and gone. with pieces" 10y the
brightest pupils. The child wonder had
nSled several verses to the infinite de
nShi Of its parents and broken down in
me same place where il had been
prompted twenty times before. The fat
glri with penchant for the pathetic had
Wrung the eyes of her listeners with her
mo>t dolorous selection. The promising
young man. a favorite of the teachers,
had rendered "Spartacus to the Gladia-
tors IN such stentorian tones as 10 stam-
pedo some passing cattle
The parents had departed astoui>hed at
the prodlgiouS progress of everybody, and
the scholars one by one had said Goodby
and disappeared through the doorway,
The tail. Smart-iOoking Schoolma'u am
was writing home to the folks in the
East She was trying to put some of the
ludlcrouS things that had happened into
her letter and leave out the homeSick
ness. 1t was no easy matter. For six
months she had thought of little else bur
the nice, bookish people in her dear col
lege town in Massachusetts and CON
traSted them with the frightful Speci-
mems about her. Julia Primm was well
educated, having been reared in family
where a knowledge of English grammar
was thought necessary to salvation.
She packed up Il few of the letters from
her mother TO reread during vacation and
started for the door. A moments glance
at the frightening shadows told her she
mad fingered too long. 1t was a dark,
lonely walk to her boarding house
through the woods. Though not tim
orous person, she might have given way
to shudder. when she noticed her larg
est pupil waiting at the door
What, Aaron, you here|
Yep"
II got sort o hankering after the
old spot" said the student of the ele
ments of English grammar, slipping her
bundle of letters into his capacious pock-
ct. Fact is, you've done so much for
me, felt as ef l wanted TO ax We some
thin the very worst way, if you don't
mind"
"Wcll, what is it? There's no need to
be backward she said. suspecting moth
ing.
u jes' felt as eff l couldn't go home till
Before the astOunded teacher could
gather strength enough for an emphatic
no i kiss had descended upon her thin,
precise lips.
II didn't want to ruffle We overmuch."
said Aaron, sOothingly, but | reckoned
you'd done so much for me and you
knewed thought Il heap of you all along
and couldn't help it."
She turned to leave abruptly without
word of rebukc, but the woods were too
dark and threatening; plainly he had Sc
iected the best time for his overture.
Il thought you came to school for
something else" was the meanest thing
she could thing of TO say.
well, | ben tryin' TO get all | could
get out o school, and you can't blame me
eff | thought the schoolmarm was the
best thing / could GET
Il don't think you can explain your
oSa1uct IN that way" she said, but new
ertheless he continued.
No one appreciated better than Miss
Primm his struggle with the rule Of
three and the past participle. She had |
encouraged his efforts and told him to |
ask questions when in doubt The little |
green arithmetic had been a sore trial to |
him. but she shared his satisfaction com
pletely when he mastered il. Going to |
and from meeting he had been her con |
slant escort; it had never occurred to her |
that he had any other motive than Il |
desire TO learn. And now it appeared |
that her efforts had been largely in vain. |
Her own earnest pupil had turned out a |
lover, and she did not know what to do |
with him. Never having played the CO.
quette, she was at a loss to know what |
answer TO give 10 his proposal, but per-
haps her silence was effective enough
Everybody knows ! tried hard enough |
to fit myself, but | jes' allowed if | didn't |
marry an education some Of the fine |
points might escape me OF course | |
hain't given up tryin'-I got heap
mapped out for summer eyenin's."
1t was the teacher that answered.
Nothing short Of Latin and Greek will
TO- | assure you, and then if you are of
the same mind
!, k.t H.
said with determination, and if she
hadn't taken her letters very quietly and
TO her boarding house a SINH
ar outbreak 10 that which commenced
heir journey might have occurred.
When left alone in her own room Julia |
gave herself up 10 reflection. Her care
ully-formed plans for the future were
upset.; her dearest anticipations were
dashed; her dream had been succeeded
~ reality which, something told her |
vas much the best thing. All during her
school life She had been preparing for a
'areer; there were many bright spots in
+ but it was unmiXed with sentiment
She would go West and make a compc-
ence. This would take about five years,
md it meant contact with vastly diff
erent element from that Of her own quiet
.ollege town-but she would perseyere.
There were lots Of poor boys who
acked mothers, there were sewing cir
~ mat ltttltu N4dEtlitHis SIT
night even indulge moderately in cats
md parrots. and best Of all. She would
ound missionary society to give light
o certain portions OF the globe that are
ana to be langushing in heathen dark
less.
But all this was idle speculation now.
he was called to another sphere She
aust marry and settle down here in the
wilderness, whore there was sufficient
eathen darkness nj home. The classics
you'd be more than useless culture
you'd be superfuous, hard work alone
Gould tell. Her Imagination faltcred
'hle she dropped a bundle Of old letters
nd mist came before her eyes.
Days after she p0ndered the same
uestiOn. She had the letter already
'ritten to her people, telling Of her az J
'red intentions, hut she hesitated TO +
laii i. After all. Aaron was very youue
nd impulsiyc. Did be know his own
llndt Did she know herst Was it not :
or education he courted:
vacation was rapidly passing Julia ,
III chung fOndiy 10 her former career.
he was thinking constantly Of Aaron.
Ut she never saw him aad seldom heard
ON him. People az her boarding
ouSe said he had changed. they also
nd she had changed. Sho ,ougcd 10 Z
now something but 20 ask womb .urS .