Shiner gazette. [volume] (Shiner, Tex.) 1893-current, 1900-10-31
The School MarmOf Red Elm.
BY SARA BEAUMONT KENNEDY.
(cOpyright 1900, Daiiy Story Pub. co..

There was something OF a sensation
when she came to take chafge of the
district school. The first Sunday after
her installment eyes and whispered
comments followed her up the aisle
as she went with Squire Bailey to a
sest; and after service she was the
one subject OF Conversation.
"You say she's eighteen? Well, she
amt spent her time growing; a pound
of soap after a weeks washing is as
big as that" fAN n fNl
THE children said she was SO little
her feet did not touch the floor when
she sat in her chair on the rostrum;
but l didn't expect to see such a KID
said Mrs. Moore. "She doesn't even
dress like teacher-look as those
elbow sleeves and yards and yards OF
ribbon"
She'll never govern that school this
side of kingdom come" sighed Mrs.
Wade. Bob Smith aud his crew VIII
scare the life out of her the first time
they get to cutting up. She'll have to
resign" a.-.t az t,et
Yes, for 1t takes as much muscle as
book learning to teach in Red Elm,
replied Mrs. Moore. 81 wonder what
Squire Bailey was thinking of to en-
gage child like that. My Sally could
do as we'll, for she's ciphered up to
miscellaneous examples in the back
of the arithmetic, and everybody heard
how beautifully she spoke 'Curfew' at
the last concert" But the others were
silent when memories of that recita-
tion were evoked. iH"
The disapprobation, started that
Sunday, spread during the weeks that
followed, and everybody was prohsey-
ing a Waterloo for the new teacher
the first time Bob Smith got out OF
bed with the wrong foot foremost
And meanwhile Mamie Lewis sat on
the school room platform. with her
little feet two inches from the floor,
and worked like a Trojan and earned
every cent of the scanty salary the
country districts allow their over
worked teachers She had come to Red
Elm with many misgivings, having
heard of the big boys who made life in
the schoolroom as exciting as ghost
dance" of the painted Indians. Espe-
cially had she been warned about Bob
Smith, lad of nearly twenty, hand
some, idle, restless, and possessed oil
legion of mischievous devils. His
invalid mother humored and adored
him and his busy father neglected him
and between the two his better nature
lay dormant. Miss Lewis studied him
oil a.
planned her hlrnsis attack. for II she
was to stay here, then she must have
Bob on her side. And with woman's
intuition she found the Achilles heel
That afternoon some blackboard work
had to be done, and after tiptoeing c
few minutes in a vain effort to reach
high enough, she turned around ant
said, with fetchingly beseechinl
smile
Bob, won't you come and help me
you are SO nice and tall"
Surprised and rather complimented
the boy did as she asked. Thank you
dear" she said with another sof
smile as he stopped to put the chall
in its box. Then with a sudden ges
ture she pushed the hair from hi
brow with her pencil and added. "Witl
such fine forehead as that you ough
to have the making of president II
you" And confused, but tingling il
his boots, Bob went back to his seat
That afternoon everybody fingered
but Bob outstayed them ALL and Mis-
Lewis found him pretending to mem
the gate latch when she came out.
do you go my way Bob? That
nice. Come on this side and take m
umbrella; my. arm gets so tired Q
holding it-tilt it just little more
there, that's dear" lrfoil
Again Bog tingled; and then h
asked himself If It were really he wall,
ing along the road carrying a girl
parasol.
You're the littlest thing eve
saw" he said presently, looking he
over out of the corner of his eye. The
he blurted out. boy fashion: But sa.
you're awful pretty"
I'm glad you think So" she ar
swered, with fiattering accent on til
last pronoun. f
A long look ahead as If he had nj
heard her, then he asked: "Why?"
ooh, because l like you and war
you to like me. AS you say, am {
little that | sometimes need BIZ
strong friend like you to look aft,
me-"
The words and the glance that wei
with them finished the subjugation
the young rough. The next day
said to the other school boys:
rThat girls too little to be bullie
The first fellow thar starts it wi
have to answer to me. See?" All
Dick James. the other 'unterrif'
quantity" Of the community, haylI