The Vinita daily chieftain. [volume] (Vinita, Indian Territory [Okla.]) 1902-1913, 1907-07-20
I l'1f-ss--sjN.'a--.1Ne .'lf-sI
) The New a.
SchOOlnarn
BY FAY STUART
(colyrlght. by Ioseph 3. BowIes.l

9pCneu tue PICKET gate III iinHl VI tHO
Gordon homestead, closing it with a
sharp click that made Mrs Gordon
glance out from the hower-screened
window at her approaching guest.
Good afternoon, Martial" she ex-
claimed heartily as Miss Pryor en-
tered, bringing with her gust Of
fresh air. do take your things right
off and sit down. 4I941 5mat
Il can't stop long, but l thought I'd
lust run over for spell, seem / had
the work done up" said Miss Pryor.
I'm glad you come. Martha. Folks
IN Fairfield amt half neighborly
enough"
After discussing various minor mat
lers. Miss Martha held forth upon the
subject uppermost In her mind, which
was, indeed the sole object of her
visit.
Have you heard about the COINS
IN over to the schoolhouse since that
aew schoolmarm oomes Marag" she
asked in an impressive tone that con
aimed unspoken volumes 8mHt
Mrs, Gordon frightened visibly. II
amt heard no particulars, as you
might say, but James sister, Sarah
Ann, was sayin' last night that her
young ones was head over heels in
love with Miss Grayson. Now / call
hat a bad sign. I'm afraid she's goin'
10 turn out kind Of easy goin' without
much notion of government"
"Notionl" cried Miss Martha, sharp
Y, "she's all notions That is the
trouble exactly, OF all the new
angled ideas you ever heard-well. I
ought to know what am talkin about,
jeein' live right side Of the school
iouse and tell you. Maria, some
hing's got to be done Why last
Saturday she had the boys diggin' up
he schoolyard to make flower gar
lens And she's forever trampin'
round in the woods after evergreen
md princess vine to decorate with,
There's precious little studyin' goin'
IN these days, I'm thinhn'!" and Miss.
Martha pursued her thin lips together.
TITS too bad sighed Mrs. Gordon,
lelplessly, Il did hope we'd get
mart teacher after that ridiculous
ur Porter; he just let everything go
0 rack and ruinl suppose it's a
,retty hard school to manage by this
ime"
She don't try to manage! She
lint got no idea Of managin'l And
I've about made up my mind to COM
plain to the schoolboard. Now there's
Johnnie, dear; I'm bound to do my
duty by my dead brothers child and
I won't have his head filed with high.
flown notions. He's almost stark mad
Already over drawin lessons and
speakin' pieces with motions to 'em.
Tain't right! Why can't she be plain
and sensible and teach plain readin',
writin and 'rithmetic? What do you
think, Maria? Would it be any use
to see DIR. Whitcomb? / think a good
deal of your advice in important mat
ters."
We'll, Martha, seems to me
twouldn't do any harm at any rate.
Might be worth tryin'. Twill depend
a good deal on the way the doctor
happens to be feelin'."
Meanwhile, Miss Leslie Grayson,
that new schoolmarn," went serenely
on her way, not wholly unconscious Of
the commotion that she was creating
In the little village.
TO this village, where she had spent
several years of her childhood, fresh
from college and bubbling over with
enthusiasm, came Leslie Grayson. She
saw with wondering, pitiful eyes the
narrow, monotonous life of these peo-
pie, and her heart grew fairly a-trem-
bic as she longed to show them all the
beauty and sweetness that surrounded
them. Oh, the boundless out-of-door
world, with its wondrous nature
studies The glory and delight of it
was all theirs-and they did not know
It. Here was the corner where she
could work; here, the opportunity for
which she had longed; so, with a
light heart she made her plans. And
she began with the children.
The result Of her interesting expert
ment at the end Of the first month
was very gratifying. Already she had
won the goodwill Of every scholar;
and instead Of the studied indiffer-
ence SO impossible to combat, people
were beginning to open their eyes.
stare, wonder and talk.
At the close Of the Friday afternoon
exercises, Miss Grayson omitted her
usual reading from Miss Alcott's Cit,
he Women" and talked to the chill.
1ren instead
1T is a month to-day, children" she
began, Since I first looked into your
faces. 1 want to tell you that / am
proud of my choice of a school"
The children looked at each other
with pleased faces.
1T is a pleasure to teach boys and |
girls who are interested / can see
already. Now that we |
ire SO wen acquainted expect bet |