Orleans County monitor. [volume] (Barton, Vt.) 1872-1953, 1905-06-12
as you can be to surprise me in this

as you can be to surprise me in this
wayr
When explanations were duly made,
the two visitors were invited inside and
given seats. The class in reading was
then dismissed and that In spelling
called to what was now seemingly to
them an unexpected misery. A bomb
shell or ghost at the window would
not have produced any more consterna-
ton than those two strange visitors.
This class, that one by one filed up in
front of the teachers desk and ranged
themselves in line, stood trembling, and
the boy at the head, TO whom was put
the first word, was unable to utter a
sound. The next one spelled 1T wrong.
and 1t was tried by two others and
finally spelled right by girl who could
hardly do better than whisper it. She
was told to go to the head, and after
that the rest did better. The search for
knowledge in that school had received
setback, however, for that day, and
Alice decided to do the wisest thing and
dismiss her band of pupils without de-
Law. When the room was cleared of
them she turned to her two callers and
| said with mock seriousness, 1.-THE first
class in department will now define
propriety."
"Propriety isis Propriety," re-
piled her brother, consists in two
young men surprising one small and
very saucy schoolma'am and letting
| lot Of imprisoned boys and girls escape
| to the woods and enjoy an extra hour
| of freedom"
''Not right" said Alice severely. "The
next pupil will now answer"
| "Propriety," answered Frank, "con-
sists in two young men escaping from
the city and relieving one tired school
teacher from her duty and permitting
| her to go and gather flowers if she will
| But which was the girl you told the
fairy tale to, Miss Page" he added as
Alice began putting her books away.
''The only one in the spelling class
you two bold, bad men didn't scare half
out of her WITS" she answered.
Frank walked about the room, peer
ing curiously at its rather primitive fit
tings.
$50 this is what you call a temple of
learning" he remarked as he surveyed
the barnlike room. "It is a curiosity
to me, and the first time l was ever in
an old time country schoolhouse.
should like to peep through one Of the
knotholes some day and watch the per-
formances and hear scared boy speak
piece"
"You had better not try it," answered
Alice. unless you want two or three
farmers to swoop down on you armed
with scythes and demanding to know
what you are doing there"
| When she had locked the SchOOlhouSe
door they got into the carriage the two
young men had come in and left the
forlorn little temple to the solitude of
the trees and bushes that almost hid it
from sight.
81 will stop in the village" said AL
bert as they drove away, 'and leave
you two to go home or take ride, as
suits you best; only, mind, be home by
tea time, for l shall be hungry
There is no time when a drive along
wooded country roads is more charm
ing than when the trees are fast grow
ing green and the meadows spangled
with daisies and buttercgps.
'Let's go around by the mill pond,
said Alice after leaving her brother il
the village ''The road to it follows the
brook up a mile. We may find a few
lilies in the pond"
y
FRO BE CONTINUED