Semi-weekly herald., 1912-05-13
Love On
Ice
By Donald AIlen

county of Rose was at the foot Of
Plum lake, and school district num-
ber two WAS at the head. Plum lake
was three miles long. Justice OF the
Peace Flemming was moderator Of
number one. and Farmer Davis of tho
other. The moderator is the chair
man OF the school board in a country
district. and what he says is law.
There was time when the two
schools dweiled together In unity, but
now there is war between them. 1t
started with an outside thing that
should not have been dragged into the
schools at all. One day Farmer Davis
met up with the Justice in the village
and challenged him to horse trade
in the following language:
Judge. how much boot will you
give me between this boss and your
gray mare?"
you are moderator of school dis
trfct number one, | believer" replied
the Judge in judicial tones.
"Of course"
"And it's your duty to push the
cause OF education along?"
1T is"
"And yet you say 'hoss' for 'horse!'"
''It is 'hoss.'"
ANY child five years old knows
better"
Look a-here, Judge, I'm fifty years
old, and I've always said 'hoss' and no
one has had the impudence to say
that | was wrong. Where do you get
your authority"
''In the dictionary"
"Show me-"
Farmer Davis was taken into the
office and the word pointed out. 1t
was spelled and pronounced horse"
That's all right" said the farmer.
"That probably means bay horse.
but I'm talking about black boss.
I've been charged with hindering the
cause of education. Let's see wheth-
er l have or not
The word couldn't be found, but
Farmer Davis owned the only windmill
In the township and had the biggest
barn. and It was not for him to give
up. Other people iuterfered and one
school district became 'hoss' and the
other horse district There had been
spelling contests In the winter, and
now these were abolished. There had
been sleighrtdes, but they were given
up. Both had always hired men
teachers. but now Farmer Davis said
to the others on the board:
What we want here is female
teacher. and the best looking one In
four counties-one to take the rag
right off the bush"
But she can't lick the big boyA,'
was objected.
She won't have to. We1l be the
licking committee ourselves"
But gal can't wade through snow
drifts"
Some of us will drive her to
school and back In a sleigh"
But II they have young man in
the other district and we have a gal
in this won't they fall in lover"
Not by forty ring tailed coons!-
replied the moderator as he smashed
his fist down on the desk. Our gal
has got to be told in advance that
there's got to be nothing of the sort
going on. The minute she falls In
love away she goes We amt going
to run matrimonial bureau at this
end of the lake"
When the winter term came on one
| school district had Mr.. Edward Cars
ton for teacher. and the other had
Miss Mary Burton. Mr.. Carston was
about twenty-four and Miss Burton
three years younger. 1t was agreed on
all sides that both had style. When
contracted with, both received plain
warning as to what would be expected
Of them. They We're to look upon each
other as enemies. and II they hap
pened to meet on the highway they
were to pass each other with the
most supreme Indifference.
Mr. Carston was fine skater. 0c
was Miss Burton. On Saturdays. II
the weather permitted, they were on
the ice, also. on moonlight nights
and after school hours. A line was
drawn across the center OF Plum lake
each district kept to its half.
One night, when skating alone, MI
Carston crossed the boundary and
went on a scout into the enemy's
| country. He saw a girl dodge into a
little bay. He paused for a moment
| Her movements on the steel runners
were so graceful that he knew II
must be "the gal teacher" They were
alone on the lake, but they must not
| come within ten rods of each other
Mr. Carston went his way, but at day.
light next morning he was skating
into that bay. The ice there was as
smooth as glass Only one pair OF
skates had left marks there. After
look around he wrote this message
on the ice with the heel OF his skate,
Greeting To You"
That night, after the lake was well
| clear OF skaters, he secuted down to
the bay again. His message had been
scratched out and another left II
read:
And The Same To You"
That was the beginning She had
known who left that greeting. and she
had answered. They must not cross
that line by day or even bow to each
other. They must be careful not to
be seen at night The fight was on
more bitter than ever. The Judge had
said Of Farmer Davis:
"Think Of n moderatOr vho go.