Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1911-07-22
EVENING STORY
"rHE scHooLMA'AM GIRL"
BY MICHAEL J. PORTER.

BY MICHAEL J. PORTER.
Copyright, 1911. by the Associated
Literary Press.)
Gideon Rush noticed the girl before
they reached Chicago, though he was a
shy, hard working young man Who
had really noticed few women IN his
day.
But even Gideon could be pardoned
for looking again at the school
ma'am girl" as he quantity nicknamed
her.
None but school teacher would
have that air and that pencil. And she
was so young and 90 good to look at
that Gideon was reminded OF little
girls who played at various games.
like keeping house and going visiting
and teaching school. She was a school
teacher; and yet the title wasn't dis.
tinctive enough. 1t did not classify her.
She was all girl, too-young and
sweet and happy. SO ''schoolma am
girl" 1t was.
Gideon, who was going out to Ore
gon to grow apples, saw that the
schoolma'am girl had a ticket much
like his own--a green one as long az
his arm.
Was she going west, too, maybe to
Oregon? But no; that was impossible.
He would lose her at Chicago. where
she would change to one Of the other
hundred trains that shuttled away In
every direction.
1t was dark when they rumbled into
the bedlam called Chicago. She SEEM
ed so little and alone and grave-some
of her bright cheerfulness had depart
ed--that Gideon said regretful fare
we'll with his eyes. And she answered
the same way.
Gideon hurried into the sticky mid.
summer night, because everyone else
was hurrying; found modest restau-
rant In the glare and clatter; hurried
through a meal and trotted back to
the great station as the uniformed
man at the gate was bawling his
train.
He found his tourist sleeper. Half
way down the aisle he paused, despite
the pushing procession behind him,
his eyes wide open and his heart
humping; for there, comfortably dis
posed in her seat. was the school
ma'am girl.
I Next morning Gileon and the
schoolma'am girl had spoken to each
other almost before they knew 1t. BY
noon they had decided to make COM
mon cause against the frlghtful
charges Of the dining car with their
united lunch boxes. BY evening, Gid
con had told the story Of his life and
confided that he had twenty-five hun
dred dollars with which to buy an
apple orchard.
The schoolma'am girl was equally
frank. She told him that her real name
was Serena Blythe but that all her
friends called her "Bun." She had
come into a heritage Of school teach
ing in q New England town at six
teen. She had expected to stay there
always, But her fathers health had
made a change imperative and he and
her mother had gone west the year
Now they had made home
In northern California and had written
her to come.
Together Gideon and the school
ma'am girl discovered that Gilesburg,
OREGON, and Edensville. California,
we're really not far apart
"Why, we shall be neighbors!" said
Gideon. IL can run over after supper
most any evening" They both
laughed at this slender joke; but 1t
did seem cheering that the, two little
black dots were separated only by a
few score miles of mountain ranges
and rivers.
"Edensville is growing wonderful
ly," said the schoolma,,am girl, with
her new but genuine western enthusi-
asm for her own town. Mamma says
it's half as large again a. when they
moved there. Papa has all the work
he can do; he Is carpenter, you
know, and carpenters are scarce. So
is capital. A man with some money is
sure to make success. You could do
well there"
~ can do we'll at Gilesburg, re.
turned Gideon, sturdily loyal. "The
finest apples in the state are raised
in that district. It's a good shipping
point, too"
But see here what mamma says
about young man from home who
has only been in Edensville two
years. She unfolded letter and
read: "Abram Hewitt is doing splen-
didly. He is the only money lender
in town and is one OF the rich men
now. He is building beautiful home
and is very helpful to your father and
me. You would not know him for the
same Abram. He inquiries every day
when you" She broke of abruptly.
Gideon WINGED inwardly II wouldn't
do as a money-lender," he replied;
too much sympathy for the other fell
low. I've had to borrow, myself"
Constraint fell with that, and Gideon
went to the smoking compartment and
sat himself down. gloomily, In corner.
"Of course" he chided; Il might have
known some rich man would want her.
I'm surprised she ever got away from
New England without being married"
With that he watched vague and de-
lightful dream which had come Into
his life in the past forty-eight hours
fade as the light of evening faded on
the distant mountains.
The rich Mr.. Hewitt stalked into
their conversation and spread himself
around Ike a wet blanket frequently
after that Gideon tried to avoid him,