Walker Lake bulletin. (Hawthorne, Nev.) 1883-1926, 1901-11-15
CHAPTER II.

In the old brown school house, over
shadowed by apple trees and sheltered,
on the west by a long. steep hill where
the aeorns and wild grapes grew, Mary
Howard taught little flock of twenty
five, coaxing 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 a
teacher in Rice Corner, Widow Perkins.
and 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 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 conclave 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 nuEakes. No
body's goin' to send their children to
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 a-workin'-but | telled her that
warn't the trouble, Mary's too softly to
hurt a miskeeter And so young, too.
It's government she'll lack in. If any
body'l have a 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 a
fine, healthy looking girl. Her face and
figure were round and full, and her COM
pleYion, though still rather pale, was
cleuT lis ndIDlc, Ntli VIII
her dark-br 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 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 chow 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 a
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-
mely Doubtful, she was so young, and
seRsed of so little dignltyw
Unfortunately Widow Perkins red cot
e .ttud directly opposite the school
l,o Use aud rs the widow belonged to that
etirri few who always wash the
breakfast dishes and make the beds be-
fore anYane is up in the house." she had
ample leisure to watch and report on
tho p y)eepdngs of the new teacher Now,
" =. Perkins clock was like its mis-
IS slways half an hour in advance
tn 4ue time, ana Mary had scarcely
lsi week ere MI might the com
TIC diQh, was duly haiied III the street
hd that TIE schoolmarm wanted
Heh - iur she dldh begin no morn
aait-past nne, nor no afternoon
- past one! BESIDES that, she
dea | tlthk she gives EN- too long
~ s1-lh Anyways seems ei some on
F,s oot Q doors the nun time'
Va Nnisht had too much good sense
~ h''a thr widow compialhts' ana he
1 ere ei fepi'ed; m giao on T. rive