The midland journal. (Rising Sun, Md.) 1885-1947, 1900-10-05
RISING SUN, Md FRIDAY, OCTOBER 5. 1900

pupils he encountered SO many ol.
world prejudices, so many race antipa.
thies, that he resolved to attempt
Americanization of the parents, and
he invited the older people of the dis
trict to e series of Lectures at the
schoolhouse.
He could not have asked for more
attentive audience than the one which
listened to his first lecture. When Il
was over the people remained seated
and silent for few awkward moments
and then reluctantly started to go
Here and there men greeted each Other
as they slowly moved toward the door
and women, dressed in their best
bowed and smiled to friends across
the room.
Gregory was struck by the holiday
appearance of the company, by the
pleasure in their faces and by their
evident reluctance to leave. By Q
happy inspiration he raped upon his
desk.
Wouldn't It be well for you all te
stay awhile and discuss the lecturer
he asked. ut is only quarter to nine
Surely, you can all stay another hour
We began early and got through early
and it is not bedtime yet"
In a moment the crowd was broken
up into little knots, conversing shyly
Gregory assumed the role of host, and
passing from one group to another
made the acquaintance of all he die
not know, and received Difference
never before accorded to teacher il
the district. He tried, with some sue
cess. to break up the rigid separation
of the sexes, for there was a ''boys
side" and girls side" in the little
assemblage, and no one seemed te
dare step over the line.
At the second lecture the audience
was larger than at the first. But while
the Yankee women and girls showed
that innate adaptability that makei
the Yankee farmers daughter feel al
home in any circle of society, the Nor
wegian and German women and the
men of all nationalities were awkward
and retiring. Noticing this, Gregory
began to think it would be well to give
some instruction in socia, gracesl
Almost anything that he cared te
propose would have been adopted by
the people Of the district. Before the
audience had departed the Hawthorne
Literary society had been organized
and the programme for it's first meet
ing decided upon. The organization
was to be social as well as literary, ano
the programme was to be brief enough
to allow an hour or more for genera,
conversation after 1t was finished.
The first meeting of the Hawthorne
was success. By request of the WON
en-, the debaters. essayists and declaim
eYs of this first meeting had beer
chosen from the men; but, when the
exercises were over, and cakes, pies
cookies and all sorts of good things
were produced by smiling matrons anc
maids, the men agreed that their OWE
share in making the occasion notabl.
was small.
Gregory was surfeited with delica
cies. All the hostesses insisted upon his
tasting of their cookery. This was hii
triumph, not theirs, they said. Three
delightful evenings and the prospect
of more to come, bringing relief from
the colorless monotony of their lives
were all due to him. He was public
benefactor, and before the evening wa.
over Torgrim Olsen addressed him in 5
set speech and told him so.
But the morning that dawned after
the pleasant evening was sad one. A
brand from the fire built in the cracked
old schoolhouse stove to dispel the chill
of the late October night had set fire
to the schoolhouse and burned it to the
ground. There was little likelihood
that 1t would be rebuilt before spring.
Winter was near at hand. The dis.
trict would hardly make up its mind tc
face the expenditure for new school.
house immediately. Gregory felt that
his career as q teacher was over, and
the gray, gloomy sky was in accord
with his mood as he stood by the ruins
in the hollow of the hills.
The school board arrived while he
was making q melancholy survey, anc
one after another came other men, un.
til nearly all the voters in the district
were present.
"When are you going to get about
building new schoolhouse, Mr.. May.
nard?" asked Torgrim Olsen Of the
chairman of the school board.
swell, don't know" said Mr.. May.
nard. "I'm afraid there isn't enough
money to do IL right away"
sits hard on our literary society,"
aa{A AAnIrh GIan~ xxoa l., e.
ward to the literary society meeting.
with good deal of pleasure. My wife
said che expected this was going to be
the best winter she ever had"
"It's shame the old schoolhouse has
burned DOWN." said Henry Truscott.
whats the matter with building it
right up again?" exclaimed Torgrim
Olsen. ''I'll give ten dollars toward do
ing it. Those literary meetings will
be worth ten dollars this winter TO me
and my family. Come on, now, friends!
Whatll you give to have your children
going to school again right away, and
to have lot of pleasant evenings for
your families and yourselves? It's
worth something to all Of you."
Twenty dollars" said Mr.. Maynard.
"Ten dollars" said Henry Truscott
and Adolph Glenz.
.Ten dollars" and "Five dollars" said
other voices In the crowd, until $500
had been subscribed.
"If you are going to bund new
schoolhouse, have some suggestions
TO OFFER" said Gregory, sharing the
general excitement of the crowd, "Iu