The Bennington evening banner. (Bennington, Vt.) 19??-1961, 1912-12-23
Promoted to the
High School
By OLIVE EDNA MAY

mer without a vacation, had worked
very hard, and in the autumn felt tha,
ne required rest or a change. His
nerves were on edge.
He concluded to go to a New Eng.
land village where there was Il go0d
library. In the morning he walked. in
the afternoon he read in the library anu
at o'clock in the evening went to bed.
One crisp November morning while
walking along Il country road he saw
an auto coming. Its motion varied be
tween five and twenty-five miles an
hour, and its direction was wabbly.
THAT chauffeur remarked Huntley,
doesn't know his business. Reckon
he's never handled an auto before.
When the machine came near enough
was seen to he young woman To
Huntley she appeared to be about six.
teen years old. She stopped in the mid
die of the road and said:
do you know anything about auto
mobiles, sir?"
Certainly. What can | do for You =
why, I've come out without much
experience and have been getting rat
tied ever since | started | have I'M
dertaken to go from one place to an
other, twenty miles apart, have got
midway between the two. and If I
continue to manage as badly as / have
| shall get killed before reaching my
destination. Besides, | think there is
something the matter with the ma
chine"
Huntley looked the auto over. and
while he was doing so the girl alightcd
and joined him on the road. When lie
turned from the machinery and looked
at her he saw one arrayed in the COS.
tune of the period. In other words,
she wore hat shaped like coal
scuttle. a coat-she had left her fun
coat in the auto-like pair OF bee.
ties wings, while her skirt about het
ankles would have fitted about her
neck. Huntley had seen hundreds OF
girls on the street in the city from
fourteen to eighteen dressed exactly
In that fashion.
"Your machine seems to be all
right" he said. "lf you will permit
me l will get In with you and be your
chauffeur for awhile Then / can tell
better If there is anything the matter
with IT,"
The young lady was only too glad
to have him take the responsibility Off
her shoulders. So Huntley stepped
into the auto and chug-chugged away
down the road. The girl hoped, she
wasn't taking him out of his way, to
which he replied that all ways were
his. since he was an idler. Then he
began to chat with her. remarking that
she should learn to run her auto. for
she would find 1t very convenient
Among the uses to which It might be
put was going to school To this the
young lady remarked that she would
1nd it convenient indeed, especially
since her books were heavy to carry.
Huntley asked her what grade she had
reached In school, and she said Next
year I'm going to be advanced to the
high school"
Though she said this with some
pride. Huntley didn't consider that she
had cause TO be proud. for he thought
her old enough to be In the high school
already However, he was more "a.
tertained with her prattle than h.
would have been with that of a wo
man near his own age, Indeed, he
was so pleased with the little miss
When he left her and she expressed
her obligation to him he said the ob.
LEGATION was his-that he found him
self much refreshed with the innocent
chat OF schoolgirl and wished he
might repeat the ride. She seemed
much gratihed with this and said thai
when he came to the town where She
lived she would be pleased to have
him drop in and see her mother.
Huntley. having obliged himself io
trudge back ten miles for the plcasuf,
he had enjoyed was not likely to rc
main away from the person whose
childish chat had SO amused him At
any rate 10 get away with an eveuiu-
the evenings being the hardest part
OF the day to get Overcome night. when
the moon was shining brightly through
the crisp autumn air. he started to walk
to the girls home to call on her moth
er. She had given him her name, but
he was not sure Of her address. so on
reaching the town he was aiming Tor
he dropped In at a bookstore to In
quire.
40 you know Mrs. Beckwithg" he
asked the proprietor.
Certainly. have just taken an or
der for books for the next year in the
high school Of which she is to be prin-
cipal."
Now. II Huntley hadn't remembered
about the girls being promoted next
year the suspicion that came upon him
suddenly wouldn't have been excited
isn't she rather young" he asked.
ito be principal Of a high schoolT
The man smiled. "She could easily
pass for one Of her pupils" he said
"She's twentysix and looks sixteen.