Amador ledger., 1905-10-13
A PluCky
SChOOlmarnl
By e. w. Hewley.

was only one passenger for that place
i tall, self-Ieliant young wuman @
g twenty two.
9 After the tram had left the station
9 she bAgan to look about her; tn,
: outlook was not promising in poin
, of habitation. A section house.
tool house and the platform on which
she stood comprised all that was visi
BILE to the traveller, of Ridgeway
small station on one of the
western railroads.
i Near the station house two boys OF
Fifteen or sixteen years stood watch
Ing her. They had ridden eight miles
} that morning from the mining camp
to get the first sight OF the new
teacher and judge her ability in deal
ing with the boy who put snakes in
her desk or strung invisible wires
across the doorway.
Farther down the track three men
were also watching her. She ap-
preached the boys; they began to
laugh and run away. Going to the
men, she introduced herself an.
inquired if any person had come frt 'ln
the MINING oomn 10 - LEY
had not seen any person of that ue-
scription.
$50 Won he the new tooobor +lpey re
expectin, We boord +ho-- goin
W ave new one. Did they WI, "ri'e
you any'Aing about their sci, ool!"
"No." - 'o
"WelI, from the way tb ~ have of
gettin' rid of teacher AS soon as the
newness wears off, | thought they
would be sendin' for John L.
Mary Started off toward the
section house, when the man who had
been talking called her back.
"There's train goin' back in a few
hours, miss. and you better take
it. Unless you're born and bred up
here, you can't stand It, The only
reason thsy send their children to
school is because the government
makes them. It's no place for
flowers of any kind, let alone hot
house flowers. -
A new light shone in Mary's eyes for
d moment, as she said: 81 have a
mother depending upon me for sup
port. l came up here to star through
the school term, and here am going
to stay
a" didn't mean any oHense, miss;
we we're just giving you a little ad
vice. Wen, mere cones the pay Car, -
pointing to a perpendicular line of
blues smoke, ''and If We want to draw
our pay for this month we better be
movin' on. -
A hand car came up in the opposite
direction and met the train. There
we're five men upon it, the boss and
four section hands. 1t took but a
few minutes to pay the men, and
again the train was speeding on its
way.
II don't think they expect you
until tomorrow, Miss Ayers" the
boss said in answering the same
question she lad asked the three
men. My wife Is sick in bed and
has been for.two weeks, snd we are
without help. Perhaps you better
come in and wait Until some one
comes after you. 1t isn't very
agreeable looking place, but you will
find it better than standing in the hot
sun" s"
The section boss onened the door
leading int Une Kitchen, Eyery-
thinp was confusion, dishes piled
nigh were waiting to be Washed soil
ed clothes we're piled in corners and
the stove looked pitiable under its
weight OF pots and pans OF every -si1s
and make. In a small bed room,
where the hot afternoon sun p.,rroa
in through an uncurtained vino NV
the woman OF the house lay ill.
Had Mary been easily discouraged
the sight of the rooms would have
dismayed her. The typical American
girl however, is the girl of the hour.
When the section hands came home at
six O'Clock to their supper the dishes
were washed and supper ready to
serve, the floors cleaned and the
woman bathed and resting in a dark
ened loom.
The night was very warm, and it
was almost midnight before Mary
climbed the steep stairs to the little
room she would call her own for the
night. 1t was useless trying to sleep.
Opening the only window in the
room, she sat down on the floor by it
and turned the events of the day over
in her mind.
The clock IN the kitchen struck
twelve, then half past; soon after a
train went by. After it had passed
the place seemed qu1eter and more
sultry than ever. The moon was
rising far over I'D the east. She
watched it as it rolled into space. A
faint twilight was stealing over the
earth, and hearing a slight noise
like the tread of some animals, SHE
leaned out of the window and san
three men coming towards the house
The men stopped at the tool house
and began prying the door open.
. When they had accomplished this
they took the hand car out and sett
: ing it upon the track, walked towart