Middletown transcript., 1908-02-29
Indeed, Mr.. Andrews told her

/ her to see Mr.. Smith. Hlida, re-
membering what Mr.. Johnston
had told her about the cousin.
made no reply, but resolved TO
call upon Mr.. Smith.
{ Mr.. Smith listened to her cour'
teously and quietly. Pretty
young, aren't you? be asked.
Hilda laughed. Iexpected you
to say that. But it isn't always
age and experience that make
success. | have always wanted
to teach, and I've always thought
could teach, and believe
can, If I am young.
| don't know but that's the
right way to talk. We've got to
believe in ourselves before we've
ever amount to much. How much
would you want a month?
She was not prepared for this
question. In her heart she knew
that she would take the school
at whatever they might offer. But
she reflected that it would not be
policy to say so, so she answered:
Whatever you have been pay
ing for your spring term.
Well, we'll talk over your ap-
plication Monday. II we want
you, we will let you know. You
needn't come to see US about it
again.
Hilda was obliged to be con-
tent with this. She thanked him,
and then, behind the grove where
she had tied her horse, she bum
died her self up for the ride home,
where an eager audience listened
to her story while she thawed out
her fingers and toes.
The next six days seemed in
terminably long to her, but Mon
day came at last. All day she
listened expectantly for a step on
the front porch, but no one came
that day or the next. Wednes-
day morning she was helping her
father about the barn, when she
heard some one behind her, and
turned to face Mr.. Johnston.
Hello! he cried. So you con-
cluded to try farming if you
couldn t get q school?
Hilda smiled in reply. She
could not trust her self to speak.
So she had failed again.
Mr.. Johnston chatted with her
father for a time, while she went
bravely on with her work. II
would never do to let him know
how disappointed she was.
Well, Hilda, he said, finally, I'll
expect you to do me credit this
spring.
Hilda looked p.surprised.
We concluded we would try you.
he continued. Andrew stuck
out for his cousin, but Smith
went with me. Smith was quite
taken with you. Andrews cousin
had let him attend TO her appli-
cation, and had never come to see
one of US about it. Smith didn't
like that way of doing things, and
I confess don't myself. You'll
get thirty-five dollars for three
months. If that is satisfac-
tory, I guess we might as
well go to the house and sign
the contract now.
Hilda felt that she was treading
on air as she followed him to the
house, ard when she saw her
name signed to the little slip of
paper, the contract between her
self and District No. 80, she Sc
cretly pinched herself to see If
she were awake. She wanted tol
shout, but of course that would |
not do. But the moment Mr.. |
Johnston was gone she seized her
mother about the waist and |
whirled her round the room.
Just think, mama just think |
she cried. I've actually got q
school. One hundred and fiyeI
[ II
dollars, and no board to pay.
May be, now, I won't have to wait /
any longer to go to college than / /
had expected to do in the first
place. And, mama, she drew her
mother close and whispered in
her ear, wien | get to be pro-
lessor in some big university you
won = have to work any more, and
can give you the things that I've
and wanted SO long to
give you.