Manchester Democrat. [volume] (Manchester, Iowa) 1875-1930, 1903-02-18
By Viola Roseboro' 81
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children so that they learned to talk
French when they were little. Why
this preface and conclusion came all
but simultaneously in James mind)-
why couldn't Janey learn it from Mr..
Blossy, and why couldn't other chill
dren learn from Mr.. Blossy (she had
pang here at giving up the hope Of
lonely eminence of learning for Janey),
and thus Mr.. Blossy be lifted to the |
dignity and prosperity Of a teacher?
That might indeed be payment on
the debt of gratitude!
Janey looked Mt her marigold with |
thoughts of reclaiming it Gt seemed UNI
and unappreciated lying |
there on the pillow, and then she heard
the coaXing voice of Amt 'Cindy's small
granddaughter calling from the big
Grape myrtle tree (she was not allowed
to trespass farther upon the front
yard,: fancy! Janey! got poorly
fur We, Janey" And she trotted off to
bestow her society where it was most
priced.
Jane may not have been blessed with
many ideas, but she gave profound
attention to those that did visit her.
She pondered all day on the possibility
Of Blossier becoming teacher OF
French, and after supper she went
over to consult Mrs. Pembroke about
1t.
"Of course" she said after she was
seated on the gallery in the starlight
I, f,t, cy,1Ninaf Hnn,
body can do much with the war going
on. but I'm willing to make some sac
- =" fancy. and Mr.. BlossJ
wouldn't expect much. We could just
share what we've got with him till
times are better. Pm afraid he's been
awful pore lately. And, after all, the
town would "a been most burned down
sure if it hadn't been for him."
Miss Catherine had no little children
to be instructed, SO Jane, with difficult
ty and bitches, got out SO much sug-
gestion of Strathboro's obligations.
"Thats all true, Jane" replied Miss
Catherine cheerfully, "but everybody
amt as anxious to recollect them kind
Of things as you and as your mother
was before you. l remember now how
she cherished that old Nanny Dinah
of yourn just for the way she nussed
you when you had that terrible ty-
phoid sickness when you was little.
Seemed like she couldn't do enough for
that niggah when she got old and
wuthless. Good niggah she was too"
There was pause, and just as Miss
Catherine was again taking up the
thread of "reminiscences Jane interrupt
ed:
"NIr. Blossy amt niggah, and it
seems kinda dreadful to see white
man live like he does here in Strath-
boro. 1t amt us if he was real poor
white either. He's got education, I've
heard tell. He reads French newspa-
pers. He's got some now at my house" "
"Well, he's foreigner, you know,
Jane You never can tell anything
about them like other people. He's
been here doing niggah's work years,
but it don't seem exactly like any other
white man doing it. He's just French
I man first or last, and for them that
| wants to learn French / reckon that
| what they want. s'pose 1t would be I
good thing for the pore cid body. bu
you can't do much, Jane, with the wa
going on, and the Lord only knows
Then loyalty to disloyalty sealed he
lips against the first expression Q
doubt as to the conclusion and afte
tale Of the conflict. AS to the presen
she was right. There was small intel
est in Strathboro in those days in tn
requirement of French by any mean
whatsoever. Jane accepted this fat
and went her own way.
Long before poor Andy McGratl
gaunt and tattered and despairing an
beaten, came back to his home Strait
boro had become familiar with til
sight of Blossier going about his wor
with a tiny figure by his side, lit
girl with the most marvellous doub
rows of brown curls under her cor
shuck hat, curls as stiff and slick NJ
regular as if they had been done o.
of wood with turning lathe. STRAIT
boro admired the curls unanimousl
but an accomplishment Of their own
, filled them with an even livelier int
est. That little thing could spei
, French, talk it right along with o
Blossy!
The pair were continually called u
r on to demonstrate the fact.
When old Mrs. Farnley came in fro
e the country to stay with her daughte
o in-law, she was not to be convinced
L the ordinary exhibition.
: "You, Mr.. Blossy," said she-"y
J, can clean out there by that there era
i myrtle and stay there where I can 6
a you. Janey, you tell Mr.. Blossy VIII
e he comes back to give me my stie
y Tell him in French" Janey was a
it tie mystified, but she was used to
d hibiting her French, SO she successful
s performed the feat required Of b
u and when Blossier, with bow, har
IS ed the old lady her staff more witne
es than one had new realization Il
d the strange tongue was not meaniI
d less jargon.
/" Andy McGrath's soul was as mu
q. like James as one cornfield pea Is II
Is another. The Infinite mind doubtlt
cav DClWSShA lhSAAS -
d Jane knew that Andy took more sue
10 in his coffee than she did, and An
g knew that she would spank Jan
sometimes when he would not; b
n SO far as other human beings WI
concerned, they might as well have b
&c interchangeable identities. When tt
h. got married, Mrs. Pembroke remark
is to Mrs. kitchens that it was curic
rs to see two such good, dumb, clev
n say nothing bodies marry each 9th
in but then, she added, perhaps it wo'
o. have been more curious yet If they b
" not
ar ITO BE Continued
IS VlCARlC)US RESTITUTION