The Manchester journal. [volume] (Manchester, Vt.) 1861-current, 1907-03-07
simply had to smoke to quiet her

simply had to smoke to quiet her
nerves.
nHarret IL credit to her father.
Men down street call her wonder.
And you want to mend socks! Good
heavens! Say, do you think you could
sell goodsi I'll start you In a millinery
shop-a lot of society women are going
In for that sort Of thIng-or tea
room, IL you like. But you've got to
do something"
Margaret rose and half timldly laid
her arm around her fathers thick neck
"Father, dear, I'd 80 much rather
lust make tea for you and your few
friends. Perhaps we might have more
friends if'-.
He flung aside the encircllng arm.
"Now, see here, you're not going to
sit back on your launches and do moth
iug just Decuuse nave money. You've
got to make name for yourself at
something" He was brutal now In his
disappointment. "lf you can't do any
thing else, you can teach. / know u
man; helped him out Of tight place
about three months ago; name Is Gray.
don. He lives somewhere out In West
chester county and Is on the school
board. He has pull enough to get you
n job at teaching out there, and you
can try your hand at that. II you
can't earn five hundred year giving
out some Of the education that ! paid
about five thousand year for, you
you're a disgrace TO the family. III
see Graydon In the morning. School
must open out there In week or So
He bent over his desk as II the sub
ject were closed. Margaret paused In
the doorway. Her face was very
white. Her eyes burned like red stars
In the gloom Of the curtained doorway,
'I'll do what you say. OF course, fa-
ther, but warn you in advance that
viii be failure was not meant
for" that sort Of thing"
Her father flung back his big head
and stared at her.
Perhaps you think you were born
to play lady, but | will fool you. You
don't come from that sort Of stock"
And 70 il happened that Margaret
Leckle was placed In charge OF dis
trlct school No. 10. The one redeem
Ing feature Of her new position was
the long walk to and from the depot,
for she commuted daily rather than
take board IN the small village
around which homes OF milionalres
were clustered. These long walks
steadied her nerves for the labor OF
teaching the unkempt and lnsoleDt
children OF gardeners, coachmeD and
truck raisers who fell to the lot OF
school No l6 She had spoken the
truth when she said that she would
fail. The power to organize and dis
cipline children In numbers Is not CIV
en- TO all, not even to the woman who
by the magic talisman OF maternal love /
may develop into a model mother In /
her own household To the problems
Of undisclplined youth and unclean |
persons and untutored minds she gave |
the best energies at her command. but |
she worked with the sense of failure
forever doggIng her footsteps.
She was not surprised. therefore, /
when one particularly dull and lower
ing afternoon Mr. Graydon's motor car |
drew up at the schoolhouse II was TO
be an investigation by committee of I
one. She had felt " coming ever l
since Billy Dobson had put red pepper /
on the stove and school bad been dis I
missed for the afternoon She rose,
very straight and girlIsh and big eyed.
az Homer Graydoa entered the door.
N was bis first visit 10 the school. md
she was surprised to find a clean cut,
youngish looking man instead Of the
side WHISPERED, portly parsonage she
had somehow pictured this arblter Of
her money earning fate 20 lie.
Quite sonie time passed before he
referred to the Billy Dobson incident
and Homer Grsydon bad taken meas
ure ~ the woman before the matter
came mp for discussion By this time
Margaret was herself once more and
she DID not strive 10 dodge the Issue.
There ~ no use talking about the
matter. Mr. Graydon. wns not cut
out for schoolteacber know my
Limitations. but my father refuses 70
recognize them. There ia only one
thing ! want to do. and he win not
permit that"
She never knew hOw II hsppened,
bnt before Homer Grnydndl left that
schoolroom be kDew what her simple
ambitions eneompansed and be knew
just bow she would attain them.
The lowering clouds bad lifted sui
denly, the aurumnai colorlngs on the
trees sh5be 10 The sunlight. and BIS
,~,. hasrt gang ia rn~asnr,. IN the IN.