Democratic messenger. [volume] (Snow Hill, Md.) 1869-1973, 1905-07-15
LYDIA'S
QUORUM
BY BELLE MANDATES
Copyright. 1905. by Belle Mandates
BY BELLE MANDATES


wen, Lyuuy, IL get you TIE JOU III
/ can, but It's going to be mighty
hard thing to get a 'corum. Deacon
Watrous was saying. You sec. that
young Wight thinks we ought to have
a man. OF course you'll have my vote
but Bill Stiles is always straddlin' q
fence, and the last man he talks to gets
him. This young feller's highfalutin
talk kind of caught Bills fancy, and he
was totterin', but / took him In hand
and now he's leanin' our way again
Ill stick to him tighter than brother
and keep him away from Wight till the
meetin' Is over. It's tomorrow night"
You are so good, Deacon Watrous."
replied Lydia. raising grateful eyes.
land II | get the place Ill do my best
to vindicate your choice"
I'll do all I can, Lyddy." said the
deacon.
Lydia Gardner had spent the past
summer away from home. and when
she returned to the farm she had
found the family I'm n state of gloom.
Crops had been poor, number of cat
tie had died and the inevitable mort
meet 1t by teaching In the district
school. She had been reasonably GER
tain of securing the position. counting
on the deacon and Bill for Il quorum.
but now this young man. who had fall
en- heir to the farm of his uncle. John
t.,At hnI 20. pnx.c n,
her absence. might carry his point Of
hiring man to teach.
She simply had to have the position.
and she determined to help Deacon
WatrOus In his efforts to secure Bills
needed vote. 1t would be useless for
her to appeal to Bill-"Weathercock
Bill" as he was called. She resolved
to make a bold move and encounter the
enemy whom she had never seen.
Hugh Wight was in the sitting room
of the old homestead bordering over
this same subject of quorum. When
he succeeded to his inheritance he had
determined to become practical farm
er and win the esteemed position his
uncle had ever maintained In the
hearts of the simple country folk. They
had laughed at the young man for
thinking he could be a farmer. but he
had shown them he could learn from
them and improve on their methods.
They were glad to have him succeed
his uncle as member of the school
committee. That seemed to be more In
his line.
He had as firm convictions on the ed
ucational question as he had on most
subjects. and he thought a man more
fitted to wrestle with the difficulties of
a country school than woman. He
had not seen this applicant, but he did
not approve of young girl who had
no preparation or experience In teach
ing.
In the midst of his cogitations there
was a rap at the outer door, He opened
It to admit a winsome, willowy girl
with big, innocent eyes and an artless
manner.
Are you Mr.. Wight? I am Lydia
Gardner"
He acknowledged the Introduction
gravely and asked her to be seated.
Hugh Wight was not a susceptible
man. and Lydia's beauty only strength
ened him In his belief that she was not
competent for the position OF school
teacher at the Corners.
II am, as you know" she said, "a
candidate for the position Of teacher.
hear that you are I'm favor of hiring a
man for the place, and don't suppose
anything that could say would change
your opinion. came to ask you not to
induce Bill Stiles to vote against me-"
He was somewhat surprised at this
frank appeal. He liked directness.
ut means good deal to u.s." she
continued earnestly, land IL l don't get
the place 1t will go very hard with my
father. My salary would help him
more than you can know"
Hugh felt as II he had been stealing
sheep. She did not want the money for
fripperies. then. but to help her father.
What do YOU mean by my infuenc-
ing Bill:" he asked.
Its like this" she explained. .Dea-
Bill Is. too. or would be. IL you leave
him alone and say nothing about the
advantages of having man. but the
last person that approaches Bill has
him. and they say you have convinc-
ing tongue. The deacon Is going to
try and keep Bill away from you until
the meeting Is over. but didn't care
to trust to that. SO I came to ask you.
l wouldn't presume to ask you to vote
for me. only to let Bill alone"
Up to this time the eyes. voice and
manner of the young man had not been
at all encouraging. but In the hearty
peal OF infectious laughter that follow
ed her request Lydia caught note of
appreciation. and some way she deriv-
ed hope from his amusement
Miss Gardner. II strikes me as ynth-
er odd that you should come and show
me the way to gain my point and then
ask me not to take IT.
Maybe II is" she said wistfully.
sk.tr& Y a f1..t& H.