The Baltimore County union. [volume] (Towsontown, Md.) 1865-1909, 1908-11-28
miss Gardner, it strikes me as

~'~ASo O0A 0ASAB ~ o1AtA~o LIZ ~
rather odd that you should come and
show me the way to gain my point
and then ask me not to take it,"
Maybe it is" she said, wistfully,
"but I didn't know what else to do. "
He remained in deep study for a
moment. He did not like to be in
fuenced by personalities.
WELL" he said abruptly, "I'll
not speak to Bill or in his presence
about this matter, and I'll waive my
objections for this year and vote for
you myself, though 1 still believe a
man should have the place. %
Two bright spots burned in Lydia's S
cheeks.
"Thank you. l will now have an
other incentive to do my best. I
shall try to show you that I can fill
the position as acceptably as a man.
You look incredulous. They all said
about here that YOU, city chap,
could never make farmer, but you
showed them you could. I'll show
you 1 can make a teacher"
Having made this telling point,
Lydia took her departure. Imme-
diately the housekeeper came in and
expressed her approval of Wight's
concession.
"Lyddy's a smart gal, and for all
her purity looks and baby ways she's
got a heap Of grit. Pity her pa didn't
have it. He used to be a professor,
and he's eddicated Lyddy to use good
speech"
At the meeting the next night
Lydia received a unanimous vote, and
when school opened she was installed
as teacher. She made companions of
the big boys and girls and pets of the
little ones. The country people were
perfectly satisfied. In due course of
time Deacon Watrous and Bill Stiles
came to make the accustomed visit.
Lydia was fully prepared for this oc-
casion and invited them to question
the class. They knew but a few
questions to ask, and as they had paid
many visits to the school the pupils
knew the answers by heart. Then
Lydia asked them to sing stirring
war song and a hymn. Bills little
girl spoke piece, carefully rehearsed
beforehand. The two. members went
away enthusiastic over the new teacher
and told Wight he had better go and
see for himself"
And he did, appearing suddenly
and unexpectedly near the close of
an Indian summer afternoon. Lydia's
expression of dismay caused a litter
of appreciation among the older boys.
Instead of reprimand she gave them
an imploring look that could not be
withstood, and order reigned at once.
Lydia felt that the visitor had noted
the look and interpreted it as a con-
fession of inability to govern.
Just as she was about to call upon
the school for a song little Bob Hanks
let loose a mouse he had carefully
confined in his book bag. Excite
ment prevailed among the girls and
delight among the boys. Had Lydia
known that she was to lose her posi-
ton she would still have done as she
did now, jumped up on her chair.
Hugh caught the mouse, threw it
out of the window, elected Bob and
his book bag and in stentorian tone
restored order. Lydia came down
from her chair and in her confusion
called the arithmetic class to come
forward. She wished that Lige Jenk-
ins had remained at home that day.
Arithmetic was not his forte. She
planned adroitly to omit him, but the
visitor instantly detected the omis-
sion and pounced upon the unfortu-
nate lad.
"Lige," he asked, chow many
times does 9 go into 81 ~
To Lydia's dismay Lige promptly
stepped to the blackboard and COM
menced solution via long division,
finally putting down for an answer.
"Try again, Lige," urged Wight,
cheerfully.
Lige then substituted the figure 4
for 2.
you've got another guess COM
ing, Lige."
The boy looked bewildered, and
Lydia desperately came to the rescue.
''Lige, won't it go three times ?"
she asked insinuatirgly.
Lige looked at her anxiously.
"Why, yes," he replied slowly,
cit will, but it's dern'd tight
squeeze !"
Then came that delightful uncon-
strained burst of laughter that Lydia
had heard once before from Hugh
Wight. The school joined with him.
The teacher looked at the clock and
thankfully observed it was time for
dismissal. She stood at the door
until the last scholar had vanished.
Then she came back to the platform,
where Wight still sat and Lige lin
gered.
"Say," observed the lad earnestly,
''t'aint her fault. never did know
nuthin' about 'rithmetic nohow. She's
the best teacher we ever had"
This touch of sympathy from the
little champion was too much for
Lydia. Her self-control slipped, and
her head went down on the desk.
"Lige," said Wight gently, "you
did better than expected. There
are lots of things in life more desira-
BILE than knowledge of the science
of numbers. Take this dime and go
down to the Corners and see what it
viii! buy"
The boy sped happily away. Lydia
raised her head. A little CLEAN OF
anger and defiance flashed through
the tears.
"You can send and get man
teacher as soon as you want to. am
glad l am not a man,"