La Junta tribune., 1907-02-02

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Jet were elossd- Nargaret paused u
the doorway. Her face was very
white. Her eyes burned like red stars
In the gloom Of the curtzined doorway
.'I'il do what you say. Of course. IA
! will be failure ] was not meant
for that sort of thing"
Her father dung back his big bead
and stared at her.
Perhaps you think you were born
70 play a lady. but will fool you. You
don't come from that sort Of stock.
And so II happened that Margaret
I.eciie was placed in charge of dis
friet school No. 1G- The one redeem
in. feature OF her new position was
the long walk TO anl from the depot.
for she conmuted daily rather than
take board in the small village
around which homes OF miliionaires
were clustered These long walks
steadied her nerves for the labor OF
teaching the unkempt and insoient
children Of gardeners. epachmen and
truck raisers who fell 10 the lot OF
school No. 10. She had spoken the
truth when she said that she would
fail. The power TO organize and dis
cipiine children in numbers is not Civ
en- 10 ALL not even 10 the woman who
by the magic Iilisman Of maternal love
may develop into model mother In
her own household. To the problems
Of undiscipiiDed youth and nnciean
persons and untufored minds she gave
the best energies at her command but
she worked with the sense Of failure
forever dogcing her footsteps.
She was not surprised. therefore,
when one particularly duh and lower
drew up at the schooihouse. II was TO
be an Investigation by a committee Of
one. She had felt IL comIng-ever
since Billy Dobson had put red pepper
on the stove and school had been dis
missed for the afternoon. She rose.
very straight and giriish and big eyed.
as Homer Graydon entered the door.
II was his first visit TO the school. and
she was surprised to ind clean cut.
youngish looking man instead Of the
side whiskered. portly parsonage she
had somehow pictured this arbiter Of
her money earning fate TO be.
Quite some time passed before he
referred TO the Billy Dot'-on incident.
and Homer Grsydon had taken meas
ure Of the woman before the matter
came up for discussion. BY this time
Margaret was herself once more. and
she did not strive 10 dodge the issue.
There II no Use talking about the
matter. Mr. Graydon. ! was not cut
out for -choolteacher. know my
Limitations. but my father refuses TO
recognize them. There Is only one
thing I want TO do. and he win not
permit that"
She never knew how II happened.
but before Homer Graydon left that
schoolroom he knew what her simple
ambitions encompas-ed. aud he knew
Just how she would attain them.
The lowering clouds had lifted sud
denly, the autumnal coiorings on the
trees shone In the sunlight. and his
own heart Aang In measure to the on
ward plunge Of his car. He was taking
the unsuccessful schooiteacher TO the
depot In the village. and II was all he
conid do 10 refrain from telling her
then and there what she had brought
into his money grubbIng life.
The world says that love at nrsf
sight lives only In novels and maya
Zines. Homer Graydon says he knows
better. John Leckie first said II was
sheer iazine-s on Margaret's part. but
sometimes when he goes TO the coy
Craydcn home and looks from the con
tented face Of Its mistress 10 the proud
face of it, master he wonders II II
pays only TO do" things-when you're
woman.