The Courier. (Genoa, Nev.) 1899-1904, 1901-12-06
CHAPTER XI.

snhdOWed Dy apple trees duu sheltered,
on the west by a long steep hill, where
the acorns and wild grapes grew, Mary
Howard taught a little flock of twenty
five, eoaxing some, urging others and
teaching them all by her kind words and
winsome ways to love her as they had
never before loved an instructor.
When first she was proposed as
! teacher in Rice Corner Widow Perkins.
and a few others who had no children to
send, held up their hands in amazement,
wondering what the world was comm
to- and if the committeeman, Mr.. Knight,
s'posed they was goin' to be rid over
roughshod by town pauper; but she
couldn't get a stiffcut, for the orthodox
minister wouldn't give her one; and if
he did, the Unitarian minister wouldn't"
Accordingly when it was known that
the ordeal had been passed and that
Mary had in her possession a piece of pa
per about three inches square, authoriz-
ing her to teach a common district school,
this worthy conclaye concluded that
"either everybody had lost their senses
or else Miss Mason, who was present at
the examination, had sat by and whis-
pered in her ear the answers to all hard
questions"
I'm all my born days | never seen any
thing like it." said the widow, as she
distributed her green tea, sweetened with
brown sugar, to a party of ladies, which
she was entertaining. But you'll see,
she won't keep her time MORN half out
Sally Ann, pass them nuhakes. No
body's goin to send their children to a
pauper. There's Miss Bradley says she'll
take her'n out the first time they get
| licked Have some more sass, Miss
Dodge. | want it eat up, for | believe
It's -workin'-but | telled her that
warn't the trouble, Mary's too softly to
hurt q miskeeter And so young, too.
It's government she'll lack in. If any
body'll have piece Of this dried apple
pie, I'll cut it,
Fortunately, Mary knew nothing of
Mrs. Perkins displeasure, and never
dreamed that any feeling existed toward
her save that of perfect friendship. Since
we last saw her, she had grown into
fine, healthy looking girl Her face and
figure were round and full. and her COM
plexion, though still rather pale, was
clear as marble, contrasting well with
her dark hair and eyes, which no
longer seemed unnaturally large. Still,
she was not beautiful, it is true, and yet
| Billy was not far from right when he
called her the finest looking girl in Chico
pee; and it was for this reason, perhaps,
that Mrs. Campbell watched with jeal-
ousy.
Every possible pains had been taken
with Elias education. The best teach
ers had been hired to instruct her. and
she was now at a fashionable seminary,
but still she did not possess one-half the
ease and gracefulness of manner which
seemed natural to her sister. The two
girls had seen but little of each other;
and oftentimes when Ella met her sister
she merely acknowledged her presence
by nod or a simple 'how dye do?"
When she heard that Mary was to be
a teacher she said 'she was glad, for it
was more respectable than going into
factory or working out" Mrs. Campbell,
too, felt in duty bound to express her
pleasure, adding that "she hoped Mary
would give satisfaction, but twas ex-
I mely doubtful, she was so young, and
sesss6 of so little dignityv
Jni olTdnately Widow Perkins red cot
,e stood directly opposite the school
lao Use and as the widow belonged to that
stirring few who always wash the
breakfast dishes and make the beds be-
fore anyone is up in the house," she had
ample leisure to watch and report on
the proceedings of the new teacher. Now,
IA ts. Perkins clock was like its mis-
SIS, always half an hour in advance
~ tn rue time and Mary had scarcely
Ugh; q week ere Mr.. knight, ''the COM
n tie man. was duly hailed in the street
d tod that the 'schoolmarm wanted
/ ,kin to. for she didn't begin no morn
i'll balf-past nine, nor no afternoon
| hllf-past one, Besides that" she
/ ddei Il think she gives 'em too long
! Jay spell Anyways, seems eff some on
! IN Was out o. doors the hull time"
/ Mr Knight had too much good sense
TO heed the widows complaints, and he
merely replied: I'm glad ont. Five
,ours Is enough to keep little shavers
ainTed up in the house-glad ont"
Tn widow, thus foiled in her attempts
| . aking disturbance, finally gave up
e sfyife, contenting herself with quiz
ng ne older girls, and asking them If
ar. could do all the hard sums in arith-
Ell or whether she took them home
Mrs. Mason to solve!
In ,Dite, however, of these little an
! )yt az SIS MARY WIS cOuleHleu anu nap
7. lShe knew that her pupils loved her,
ld hat the greater part of the district
| err ST satisfed, so she greeted the widow
! itt her pleasantcst smile, and by al
! ny being particularly polite, finally
/ sreame her prejudice to a considerable
| gte1t.
! One afternoon about the middle of
July, as Mrs. Perkins was seated by her
front window engaged in Stitching
Shoes" a very common employment in
some parts of New England, her atten-
ton was suddenly diverted by a tall,
stylish-looking young man, who, driving
his handsome horse and buggy under
the shadow of the apple trees, alighted
and entered into conversation with
group Of little girls who were taking their