The Princeton union. [volume] (Princeton, Minn.) 1876-1976, 1905-12-07

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RINCETON UNION IA
chael announced to her patroness that
school was ready to open. Mrs. Yellett.
who had never heard that "a soft voice
is an excellent thing in woman and
whose chest notes were not unlike
those of Durham in sustained volume
Of sound, made the valley Of the Wind
river echo with the summons of thu.
pupils to school,
AS the pupils trooped obediently to
school Mary noted that they carried no
flowers to their dear teacher, but that
Ben, the oldest pupil, twenty-one years
old, six feet four inches in height ami
deeply saturnine in manner carried a
six shooter in his cartridge belt. The
teacher felt that she was the last to
deny q pupil any reasonable palliative
Of the tedium of class hours-the near
ness of her own school days inclined
her to leniency in this particular-but
she was hardly prepared to condone 4
six shooter, and confided her fears to
Mrs. Yellett, who received them with
the indulgent tolerance strongmind
ed woman might extend to the femi.
nine futter aroused by a mouse. She
explained that Ben did not shoot for
glory" but to defend the herd from
the casual calls of mountain lions.
bears and coyotes. Jack and Ned, who
We're very nearly as tall as their older
brother, carried similar weapons.
The Misses Yellett were hardly less
terrifying than their brothers. They
had their fathers fierce, hawklike pro-
file, softened by youth, and the appall-
Ing height and robustness due to the
freedom and fresh air Of a nomadic
existence. Their costumes might.
Mary thought, have been fashioned out
Of gunny sacks by the simple expedi-
ent of cutting holes for the head and
arms. The boys wore overalls and
flannel shirts. which, in contrast to the
sketchy effects of their sisters cos
tunes, seemed almost modish. Mrs.
Yellett then left the "class room,' say
ing she must take Ben's place with the
sheep.
The Brobdingnags, huge Of stature,
sinister of aspect. deeply distrustful of
the rites in which they were about to
participate, closed in about their
teacher. ...
Miss Carmichael took her place be-
hind the upturned tub.
"Will you please be seated?" she
said.
Mary made out a roll call, and by
unanimous consent it was agreed to
arrange the class as it then stood. or.
rather, squatted, with the herculean
Ben at the top, and gradually dimin-
ishing in size till it reached the vanish
ing point with Cacta, who was ten and
the least terrifying of all.
"And now" ventured the teacher.
with the courage Of a white rabbit,
what have you been in the habit of
studying?"
Absolute silence on the part of the
class, which confronted it's Questioner
straight as row of bottles, present
ing faces imperturbable as so many
sphinxes.
Other questions met with an equally.
dlsheartening response. Miss Car.
michael sat up straight, pushed back
the persistent curls from her face and
bent every energy toward the achieve
ment of firm demeanor. ~..... .a>sp.-
'Clematis," said she, wisely select
ing perhaps the least formidable Of the
class, Il want you to give me some
idea of the kind Of work you have been
doing, so that we may all be able to
understand each other. Now, in your
mathematics, for instance, which of
you have finished with your arithme-
tic, and which,
what do you mean?" begged Glenn
ats, somewhat fearful
Where are you in your arithmetic"
Nowhere, ma'am"
do you mean you have never learn
ed any?' Mary Carmichael shuddered
as she icily put the question.
Eyes, ma'am." +
lis that the case with all of you?"
Emphatic mods left no room for
doubt
'"Then we'll leave that for the pres.
ent. If you will tell me, Clenatis,
what kind Of work you have been do
ing in your history and English, we will
get to work on those today. What
books have you been using?"
Not unnaturally Clematis, who was
emotional and easily impressed, began
to feel as though she were a criminal.
She sobbed in a helpless, feminine
way. Ben spoke up from the top of the
class.
1--WE amt got no books" said he, in
grim rebuke, as though to put an end
to a profitlesS discussion.
do you wish me to understand"
quavered Mary, that you have had no
studies - that you can't read - that
you-don't know-anything?
'"That's it," said Ben, with the near
est approach to cheerfulness he had
yet manifested.
Meanwhile there lay on the teachers