News and citizen. [volume] (Morrisville, Vt. ;) 1881-current, 1913-06-04
AT the ROADS END
Young Teacher and Her Pupils
Soften the Heart of an IraS-
chile Old Bachelor.
BY CLARIssA MAcKIE.


Fourteen hands famed the al
vigorously while the remaining hands
In the room wanted to wave assem-
also, but Saturday morning brought
household tasks. chores for the boys
and music lessons for many.
Very well. Those who would like
to go with me can meet me here at y
o'clock tomorrow morning. You must
be on time for I have an engagement
after dinner and must be home at
noon. School is dismissed"
Saturday morning found the eager
fourteen at the schoolhouse warmly
equipped for a tramp across the
snowy fields. When Miss Dale ap-
peared they set up a shout OF wei
come for the teacher who was pref
ty sight in her short blue skirt and
sweater with crimson tam O. shanter
that matched the red of her lips.
Color warmed her cheeks and her
dark eyes shone softly. She looked
like a little girl
Now, we are ready. I shall go
ahead and lead the way. Four boys
next-then the girls-and the rest of
the boys to bring up the rear. Re
member, boys, you are to look out for
the girls and help them over the
rough places
The boys grinned sheepishly and
the little girls giggled together until
the group Strengthened out into long
line across the schoolyard.
1t was only a light snow that had
fallen and with every thump of their
sticks the pedestrians struck the
frozen ground beneath. In the woods
the trees creaked in the light wind
and sent powdery whiteness down to
sting their faces.
Now and then a rabbit scurried
across the snow or a squirrel poked
bright eyes out of some safe retreat.
In places where the sun struck warm
iy one could glimpse trails of green
and dots of red where the partridge
berries grew.
Presently Molly turned into an old
wood road that led no one remember
ed where. 1t is great fun to explore
unknown roads and all the children
skipped joyfully. Undoubtedly they
would come out into some snowy
field and that meant tramp through
the untracked whiteness-perhaps
startling a flock of quail-over fences
or under them.
A barbed wire fence, snarled across
their way and they got over it and
under it somehow, and found that
they had lost the wood road. This
was all the better.
Suddenly laurel hedge doomed be- !
fore them and with a wild whoop the |
group separated and broke through.
Miss Molly smiled and trailed after
them
When she looked around for her
pupils she saw to her dismay that
they were romping and racing about
the grounds of a handsome house.
Surely she had seen that house be-
fore-from a different angle.
Suddenly she gasped for breath.
Now she knew!
It was the home of Mr. Jared
NEUTRALITY-SUSPICIOUS. Olu DdCuGlOI anu
one of the trustees of the school.
Beyond the rolling snow-covered
lawns, through the trunks of the no
BILE trees, Molly could see the high,
arim greenery of the hedge that shut
The house from the village street.
Somehow-she had blundered. This
pscapade meant farewell to another
years teaching in the Glen Hollow
school and Molly did like her position
80 much.
Desperately she darted down past
he house in a mad desire to gather
her shouting flock and rush them
out of the yard. AS she flew past a
rim little summer house a long arm
shot out of the door and caught her
arm.
Molly screamed in surprise and
when she saw her captor she became
lutte limp in his strong grasp.
It was Mr. Smithers peering near
;ightedly at her. He wore a house
coat and thin slippers and his thick
brown hair was tossed wildly about
lis head.
Little girl" he roared Grossly,
what are you doing in my yard
,h?"
Il don't know" stammered Molly
eebly. She squirmed under his
,lutch. You are hunting my arm,
ir," she added.
81 beg your pardon" he said
rufT1y He released her at once but
till he glared down at her dropping
title figure What are you doing
Iere-and those others? Are they
our brothers and sisters?"
Molly stared aghast at the fourteen
nd then a smile crinkled her lips
nd the corners of her brown eyes
mo, sir" she said demurely, they
re my children"
What? Tut-tut-what do you
mean? All, l see, you are playing a
oke upon Newell, clear out, all of
GU, right now"
Molly hesitated. Now was her
nance to vanish with her innocent
upils: if Mr.. Smithers had not recog-
lied in her the teacher of the fourth
rade whom he had barely noticed,