Smyrna times., 1907-07-10
N1ILTON'S
MOTHERS.
By w. F. BRYAN.
Copyright. 1907. by E. c. PARCELS.
By W. F. BRYAN.

Bess gazed through the open win |
dow, out past the school yard with it's
we'll beaten earth trampled hard and
smooth by the play of generations of
children, through the orchards, now
pink and white with the promises of
fruition, down to where the river
wound its silvery length between green
banks and tiny islands.
1t would be hard to give it all up.
and yet before her on the desk was the
formal communication from the school
board of Milton township notifying her
that her services would not be re-
quired during the ensuing term.
The note was cold and formal, but
for weeks past she had known of the
battle being waged against her The
only objection was her age, but every
mQther with a marriagable daughter or
son had urged this objection upon the
school board. Milton township was
not Overwell stocked with young men,
and this girl from the city, with her
self possessed ways, her stylish clothes
and her bright face, constituted a men
ace to the mothers.
For once they united in a common
cause and urged Bess' removal. The
dimple in her chin, the soft color of
her cheeks the laughing brown eyes,
the ripping hair and the delicious
curves of her throat each constituted
an objection that found common ex-
preston in the cry that she was too
young to manage the young men who
formed the upper class in the winter
term.
There's Jed Stroughton," urged Man
dy Mills. "Why, he's two years old
er'n she be. And him trottin' over to
her house every evenin' t git help
with his Latin! What does the boy
want of Latin anyhow? Of course it
was the teacher he wanted. When l
was girl and taught school, you en-
remember 1 used to whale the boys
good. They never had n chance to
flirt with tn teacher then"
81 -Judson, chairman of the board,
told himself that that was in part re-
sponsible for her continuation in a
a single state of bleSsedness, but Man
dy was the sister Of the editor of the
Banner, and 81 wanted to be town
clerk at the next election.
So each Of the other members had
been approached, and the result was
the letter that lay on the desk in front
of the girl. Had she been re-engaged
she might have spent the summer in
Milton. Now she must go back to the
hot city and haunt the teachers
agencies until something else offered
for the coming year.
Slowly she rose to her feet and went
to the door, At the threshold she
paused a moment and looked around
Her eyes filled as her glance swept the
empty benches and the ghastly white
walls with the faded maps. She haC
been happy hre in Milton. She was
looking at her schOolroom for the las
time.
She slipped across the road to Jud
sons house and delivered the keys int
the keeping of the grim faced Mrs
Judson.
Il should like to say gOOdby to Mr.
JudsOn," she faltered He has beer
very kind to me this winter"
Il sent him over to the Center" hi
mother said stifIly. "Si amt got no cal
to be gaddin' about with young girls
'Tain't decent"
She closed the door with a nice shad
of emphasis that just avoided a posi-
tive slam, and Bess turned away to
ward the river. She loved the river I
was both companion and comforter
and as she reached the bank she sanl
into little nook formed by a screen o
bushes, and the tears that had bee
sternly repressed all day flowed un
checked.
When she had first come she ha
looked forward to the long summe
days which she would spend by tn
river. Then she had been full of Ell
thusiasm, and there was no question i
her mind as to her continuance in tn
position Now, just as the river seem
ed at its best, she was going back t
the city. She recalled with a shudde
her struggles of the year before He
father had died just after she ha
graduated from college. When tn
small estate was settled it was foun
.. that he had lived up to every penny Q
his income. There was just enoug
left to pay his outstanding debts an
leave a couple Of hundred dollars fo
the girl. The half of this had gone fo
board while she sought position. Th
rest, together with her small savings
must go this year. She had con
menced the drudgery of life. Sh
could meet it bravely, but it tore he
heart to leave the river and the cour
try that she loved so we'll.
She should see the river in town, sI
knew, a broad, silent stream, cOvere
with shipping and discolored by II
tides and refuse. 1t would be a gra
ghost of her old friend, tantalizin
reminder of the river she had los
She was still sobbing when a shar
staccatO bark resounded and a sma
terrier bounded into view.
Bess rubbed her eyes confusedl
;. The dog was fawning upon her In
4. | wary t,aroxven of low Surely it won