The Lambertville record. [volume] (Lambertville, N.J.) 1872-1968, 1907-06-12
MILLIONS
MOTHERS.
By w. +. BRYAN.
Copyright. 1877, by E. c. PARCELS.


smooth by the play of generations of
children. through the orchards, now
pink and white with the promises of
frHition. down 10 where the river
wound its sllvery length between green
banks and tiny Islands.
1t would be hard to give 1t 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 he re-
CURED during the ensuing term.
The note MAS 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
mother with Il marrlagable daughter or
SON had urged this objection upon the
school beard. 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 men
ace 10 the mothers.
For once they united in common
cause and urged Bess' removal The
dimple in her chin. the soft color of
her checks. 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 10 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
erin she he. 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 |
WAS Il girl and taught school. You en-
remember used To whale the boys
good. They never had n chance TO
flift with III teacher then "
81 ,ludsen, chairman of the board,
told himself that that was In part re-
sponsiblc for her continuation In n
a single state of blcssedncss. but Man
dy Wis the sister of The editor of the
Banner and 81 wanted 10 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 To 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 n moment and looked around.
Her eyes filled as her glance swept the
empty benches and the CHASTITY white
walls with the faded maps She had
been happy hire i'll Milton She was
looking nj her schoolroom for the last
time.
She slipped across the road to .Iud
sons house and delivered the keys into
, the keeping of the grim faced Mrs
JudSom
Il should like to say goodby 10 Mr.
Judson.' she faltered He has been
very Kind to me this winter"
II sent him over To the Center" his
mother said stillly. Isl amt got no call
to be gaddil about with Young girls
.Eain.t decent
She closed the door with nice shade
Of emphasis that just avoided posi-
tive slam. and BcsS turned away to-
ward the river. She loved the river. Ii
WAS both companion and comforter,
and as she reached the bank she sank
into n little nook formed by screen of
bushes, and the tears that had been
sternly depressed all day flowed un-
checked
When she had first come she had
looked forward to the long summer
days which she would spend by the
river. Then she had been full of en-
thusiasm, and there was no question in
her mind rs to her continuance In the
position Now Just as the river seem
ed nj its best, she was going back to
the city. She recalled with shudder
her struggles of the year before Her
father had died just after she had
graduated from college When the
small estate was settled ii WAS found
that he had lived up to every penny of
his income There WAS inst enough
left to pay his outstanding debts and
leave Il couple of hundred dollars for
the girl. The half Of this had gone for
board while she sought Il position. The
rest, together with her small savings,
must 90 his year She had com
mcneed the drudgery of life She
could meet il bravely, but it tore her
heart to leave the river and the coun-
try that she loved 50 well.
She should see the river in town, she
knew, a broad silent stream, covered
with shipping and discolored by the
tides and refuse. Ii would be gray
ghost of her old friend, tantalizinp
reminder Of the river she had lost.
She was still sobblng when a sharp,
staccato bark resounded and small
terrier bounded into view.
Bess rubbed her eyes confusedly.
The dog was fawning upon her In a
very paroXysm of joy. Surely it would
not be Tony, and yet-on the glsten-
ing collar plate she read the name
Il am James Harvey's Tony Tell him
he's lost me +" Tony was ghost from
her other life, and she threw her arms
about his wiry little neck and buried
leT nehu upon HIS shoulder.
james Harvey, coming softly up to
see what game the dog had tracked
paused moment TO contemplate the
picture. Another instant he had sprung
forward
Where did you drop from, BessT'
he demanded. Il have been searching
the four corners of the globe for YOU"
Il have been right here" she said
steadily as she offered cool soft
hand Il had to do something, so
decided to put to use my only talent.
amer, rather, have bcen-the teach.
or of district A."
And the terror Of every mother with
son or daughter OF Snarrlageable
age he completed with n laugh. 81
have heen hearing about you. but the
teacher never Miss Mayo"
"Ihey are all wrong she cried bit
terly. Il did not want their sons, nor
20 1isappoint their daughters. l just
wanted to be left alone to earn my liv