The watchman and southron. [volume] (Sumter, S.C.) 1881-1930, 1913-10-08
,cooTrshc .siz Bo5ss. NsTnii Coz


CoosrshI .slI Bo6bs- MerrIl Coz
One may shout oneself hoarse at the
delivery OF speech which, II served
upon printed page. would never prompt
the reader to cast his hat to the cell
Ing. No mere print under bold head
lines did Abbott read. but rather the
changing lights and shadows In great
black eyes. II was marvellous how
Fran could project past experiences
upon the screen Of the listeners per.
ception. At her, when mother died. /"
Abbott saw the girl weeping beside
the death-hed. When she sighed, 81
don't belong to anybody" the school
director fslt like crying: Then be-
long to mel"
Fran now completed her work. She
rose from the immovable Jakey and
came over to Abbott Ashton. with
meskly folded hands. ,"~
he fOuno rne magic or the moon.
lishthour returning. She had mel
lowed = glowed = softened-woman-
fxed--Abbott could not find the word
Tor II. She quivered with an exquisite
ness not to be defned--a something
In hair. or flesh, Or glory Of eye. or
softness Of lips. altogether lacking in
his physical being. but eagerly desired.
Professor Ashton" she spoke eeri
ously. Il have been horriG. might
have known that school is merely a
place where young people crawl into
books to worm themselves from lid to
lid. swallowing all that comes In the
way. But I'd never been to school, and
j imagined Il O place where a child
was helped to develop itself. thought
teachers were trying to show the pu-
pills the best way to be what they were
going to be. I've been disappointed.
but that's not your fault; you are Just
q system II boy Is to be black
smith after he's grown, and II a girl
In the same class is to be music
teacher. or milliner. both must learn
about a-b-c and def So I'm going
away for good. because, or course, I
couldn't afford to waste my time la
this house."
But Fran" Abbott exclaimed i'm
pulsiveIy, don't you see that you are
holding NJ ignorance as a virtue? Can
you AFFORD 20 despise knowledge In this
civilized agc7 You should want to
hnow facts just because--.well, lust be-
cause they are facts" : .> -,
But J doE. seem to. at ALL" Fran
responded mildly. mo, I'm not ma.
hing fun OF education when find fault
with your school. any more than I
show irreverence to my mothers God
when question what some people call
religion It's the connection to life
that makes facts of any value to me;
and It's only Ia its connection to life
that Ia give pin for all the religion
on earth"
Il don't understand" Abbott faltered.
She unfolded her hands and held
them up In quaint little gesture OF
aspiration. mo. because It isn't In q
book. i feel lost--so out In space.
only AJAX for place In the universe
to belong to somebody :"
But" said Abbott. you already be-
long to somebody. since Mr.. Gregory
has taken you into his home and he 10
one OF the best men that ever"
oh. let's go home" cried Fran i'm
patiently. Let's all Of us skip out of
this chalky old basement-smelly place.
and breathe the pure air Of life."
She darted toward the door. then
looked back. Sadness had vanished
nom her face. to give place to a sud.
den glow. The late afternoon sun
shone full upon her, and she held her
lashes apart. quite unblinded by It's
intensity. She seemed suddenly II.
lumined. not only from without, but
from within.
Abbott seized his hat. Robert Gin.
ton had already snatched up his. Jakey
squeezed his cap In an agitated hand.
All four hurried out into the hall as II
moved by the same spring.
Unluckily. az they passed the hall
window. Fran looked out. Her eyes
we're caught by a group seated on the
yeranda OF the Clinton boardin house.
There were Miss Sapphira Clinton,
Miss Grace Noir. and several mothers,
slipping afternoon tea. In an instant,
Fran had grasped the plot. That cloud
OF witnesses was banked against the
green weather-boardins. to behold her
isnominy.
Mr.. Clinton" said Fran, all sweet.
ness. oil allurement. 'T am going to
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