Vermont phÅ“nix. [volume] (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1834-1955, 1902-08-01
The SCHOOLMARM.


er Ebenezer on his own honey? Well
I'll tell you that story after a bit but
I'm goin' to tell you now about Mary
Jane Brown, this same Ebenezer's daugh-
ter who once taught school in our
neighborhood.
Ebenezer Brown was a mighty relig-
Gus man, bein a steward in the church,
the same as father. an when Mary Jane
got her certificat an went for a school
marin, ii worried her father terrible for
FEAR she'd forget the strict rules of con-
duct he'd laid down to her at home
II so happened that she was chosen to
teach i'm the little red schoolhouse in
our neighborhood, and as this was only
few miles from her home. you'd hard
ly think that Ebenezer would have
thought that his darlin' daughter had
gone far away from him into the wide.
sinful world but he did
Father was head trustee. an It was
the custom for the teacher to start her
round of boardin' with us. So the day
after New Years. Ebenezer fetched
Mary Jane an her trunk to our place.
and handed her over gingerly to mother.
Then he found father in the drive
| house an said to him. very solemn
stephen. I've brought Mary Jane to
stop with you a spell, an it's mighty
glad I'd be of placin' her in your care
an that of your excellent wife but for
one thing"
Whats thatF rather asked, sharply.
as was his way.
well, you see" Ebenezer went on.
Mary James my one eve lamb, an
| I've been terrible particular about her
bringin' up, an If I do say IL of nv
own child, she jest simply don't know
that there's SIGH a thing as sin in the
world"
you don't mean to infer Ebenezer."
father said. most taken off his feet,
that my house amt a 1T place for your
daughter"
"Nothn' of the sort. nothin Of the
sort" returned Ebenezer. winkin' his
little eyes as II he'd caught a cinder.
He was the worst man to wink his eyes
you ever see. " know you. Stephen,
to the backbone" he went on IAN
I've allus said II there was one woman
more worthy than another to take the
blessed sacrament 1t was your wife: but
It's the boys. George an Ed, that I'm
afraid Of"
What Of them" father asked. for he
was techy on the subject Of me an Ed
and for all he would dress us down him
self for every little thing. he didn't rel
ish listenin' to other folks dom it,
George an Ed are bright boys, 1
own" Ebenezer' answered cautious like:
but the truth Is. Stephen. that since
they've growed up to what might be
called young men. they've been consider
ably talked about. | understand. not on
~ In this neghborhood but as far away
as our section. You do let 'em go about
considerable you can't deny that
stephen; an I've even heard that they've
rig apiece an drive out to walt on
girls of a Sunday, Jest as II they was
courtin. Why, only last Sunday
George was down to see my brothers
girl Letitia.''
II don't see anything very wicked in
that" father said, dryly.
ssRut aint continued Ehapa-
ger evidently with load on his mind.
Folks say they go to dances an public
parties: and, while far be II from me
to say what other folks children should
be lowed to do, want It distinctly I'M
derstood that my Mary Jane shall new
er dance step while l live. So ask
YOU, stephen, as brother Christian to
brother. TO keep an eye on the boys an
see that they don't put any wild notions
in Mary James head
They had some more talk. but that
was the substance Of it. and father lect-
ured me an Ed for an hour in the barn,
where We all sat huskin' corn. on the
strength of It.
Now, IT kind Of riled me an Ed to be
raked over the Goals by old Ebenezer
Brown, who had the reputation of trad
in horses not strictly on points, and we
made up. our minds to give Mary Jane
a good lettin' alone, although she was
a kind OF cute little thing, an we both
liked her.
We was now long about twenty and
eighteen. me an Ed, and we liked
good time as well as the next one. Ed
had learned to play the fiddle. and as
I could call on fine, we was in great
demand at all the dances for as much
as five miles around home
There was lots of dances that winter
and We went to most of 'em. It's true.
we only had one cutter between us but
sod 60, Nr.1r
unfortunate one had to drive his girl in
a light market sleigh we had.
Mary Jane saw us goin and comm
from these parties, and her cousin
fish used to tell her everything. she
knew We was goin to dances. an that l
took fish every time we could fix up
yarn that would deceive the latter's ia
Their.
Mary Jane got restless after a bit, see
In so much fun goin on under her nose
an her not in it, So she up and says to
me one day. when I'd picked her up at
the schoolhouse on my way from the
village, and was drivin her home:
George" she says, 81 hear there's
goin to be a party down to Jones's
Mills next Friday evenin.'
I've heard so, too" l says, wonderin'
what she was drivin' at
What kind of party is 1t goin' to
be-" she says.
Church of England" saws. "a
kind of house warmin at the Stevenss
for the English Church They set a box
near the door, an you can drop in what
you like"
"oh, is that ALL" says Mary Jane,
mournful like "Tish told me II was
goin' TO be dance"
''rish is a great talker," says.
Now, it struck me that Mary Jane
seemed quite cast down when l didn't
give her any announcement in the mat
ter of the party. She sat silent for a
bit, an then she put up her face, BASH
full like (she was a mighty pretty girl
when she looked like that,) and said:
TITS awful stupid of me stayin' home
every night, and fish and you an Ed
and the rest of the young folks havin'
such good times. I Just said so to Tish,
and she said TO me- Mary Jane. you're
a little fool for bein so tmid. Why
don't you ask George to take your
There, now!'
mot to dance" says I. Mortified.
But this amt gon' to be a dance;
just party" she pleaded.
We'll" says I. its Just like this,
Mary Jane; your father would have a
mt II he heard of you goin' anywhere
with me or Ed. We're bad wicked
boys, to him." l says
"Pshaw! she says, smilin' up at me-
Fathers an old fossil, that's what he
is, and haven't I known you an Ed for
years and don't fish go with you every
where?'
1t occurred to me right there an then
that Mary Jane had been very much I'M