The Irish standard. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn. ;) 1886-1920, 1904-01-09
The YOUNG
SCHOOLTEACHER
BY f. II. LANCASTER.

2 BY f. II. LANCASTER. 9
$ooooooooooooo ooooooooooo8
Copyright, 1905. by Daily Story Pub Coz
1IANDS off? A mails oui. But how
was Miss Margaret to know that
her new-found garden held its tree of
forbidden fruit?
The trustees of LIE Blanc school, being
busy with their coal-burning and corn
hoeing, forgot, as they usually did, to
elect a teacher; and the first Monday in
May found the little log schoolhouse
among the pines shut up and silent.
N'impotte. Nobody was much con-
cerned. Priests are not partial to pub
tic schools, and all 'Cajans are good
Catholics, and follow their priests
lead. Still in every community there
Is leading man ready to step in and
shoulder responsibilities that the dele
gated shoulders shun. So it CHANGED
that M. Lecerf, ploddingspa the school,
house beside his slow-moving team,
looked at the closed door and shook his
head. And that night, after he had
washed his feet and eaten his supper,
he shook his head again over his ciga-
rette and said to his wife:
"Chere, das ain right. Schoolhouse
shot yop. Das ain right"
"No. Das ain right" agreed madam.
Madam always agreed. She was as
small as monsieur was large, and was
convinced beyond all doubt that he was
quite the brainiest man that ever was.
Madam had gone as far as the third
reader, and had been known to read
paragraphs from the county paper. She
looked at monsieur, now smoking silent
in the moonlight, and droop Of weari-
ness in his attitude stirred her love to
deeper tenderness. She FASTENED to
strengthen her Endorsement.
mo, das ain right. Me and Amelia
was talk bout das last will. Corn all
plant, rice elm. Chilun ought to be in
school. Des in de way"
Monsieur removed his cigarette.
Madam Amelia was the wife and boss of
the second leading man.
'What did Amelia say?" he asked.
t'She say: Vas das so. Dere's my liz
gal fall in de branch while was wash
and Dazier get hees foot mash playing
down to de log But she won't board
de fletcher; Bebe. No. Says de last
time she board de fletcher was de last
time"
'Das all right" monsieur. replied.
1--WE board him"
"Yas," madam agreed loyalty, "das all
right" But she looked in consterna-
ton at the prospect of having strange
man in the house, and wondered dis
mally how she would ever get through
work if she had to wear shoes all day
long. And there was Marie Louise
with an accent on the last syllable like
an exclamation-just budding into
beauteous WOmanhood But she kept
these forebodings to herself, and brave
1y subscribed to the belief of the neigh
bors that when Nj. Lecerf said a thing
\was all right, it was all right. C'est bien.
Their faith was well founded. Singular
~, cool of judgment, far-seeing, fearless,
with education Antoine Lecerf might
have been Pericles; without it, he was
a coal burner. He shot the sheep-killing
logs ofIangerous men adjusted neigh
borhood quarrels, guarded wife and
child, and drudged cheerfully for liv-
ing. AS for citizenship, he could not
even vote. Pourquoi? NJ Lecerf could
not sign his name
En-, bien, NJ. Lecerf had reason to
know the value cof an education. He
went to the school superintendent for a
teacher, and was introduced to Miss
Margaret. The young city girl was
eager, ambitious and anxious to get to
work, but she was frightened, badly
frightened at the thought of riding ten
lonely miles with this great big man I'M
til the superintendent, understanding
and sympathizing, said:
'Mr. Lecerf will take good care OF
you" And M. Lecerf with his broad
indulgent smile, seconded cordially:
"Yas, das all right. TEX good ccare
of YOU" Then, with a rush of conf.
dence, Margaret slipped her fingers into
a great rough palm, and found herself
swung lightly to seat in NJ. Lecerf's
nigh wagon.
tCrowding his own huge frame ovel
ahe side of the seat thatshe might not be
cramped, land forhearipgeto smoke, al.
though an hour" without cigarette wa.
a thing almost unknown, he told hel
stories as they. rode along, stories of:tt'
neighborhood' in which she was to work
with shrewd comments; IN passing tina
Margaret laid up carefully for future
use. So rapidly did their friendship
progress that WREN they reached a bi
sofheavy road and the horse slowed will
aself-indulgent air, to walk, she reache,
:aneager. hand to.the lines, saying, pleas
antly:
Cant i drive, qpaesse, sMr. lLeceri
while you smoker"
You don mind tobacco7 Mop
"No. indeed, Il don't mind" she as
szared, taking possession of the lines h
passed over to her.
M. Lecerf smiled indulgently at he