The Republican journal., 1914-07-23
AT DoUBLE.ENTRY.
Teacher had Brought his Pupil to Point
where She Might Accept Position.

AOOA 3A1AA 80 -
Teacher had Brought his Pupil to Point
where She Might Accept Position.
Freda opened the front door with
petulant little jerk. ":Such a lot OF
stuff she scolded, with wrinkle IN
her pretty brow, gathering up the accu-
mulated litter of advertising papers and
cards; groceries, markets, drug stores,
souvenirs. trading SO tired
Of seeing them! If people must litter
nm the porch, / wish they would leave
Something new and helpful" She
bundled up the collection scornfully,
ready for the waste basket, when
small, neatly printed white card caught
her eve. With characteristic birdllke
tilt Of her brown head, she read 1t
through. bookkeeping taught; even
ing lessons given to classes or lndlvldu-
ais" "Why he's right here in our
block-Brian Bonner, 1896 Linden Row;
must be some relation to the nice old
lady who sent Sara some jelly when l
first came, for she said it was from Mrs.
Bonner"
Hurrying in, she disposed of the Of
Tending papers, but she saved the caro-,
setting it up on the dining room mantel.
within easy reach. And as she attacked
her Saturday cleaning, she turned over
in her mind the idea which 1t suggested.
If she knew more about bookkeeping,
she Wondered, it would help her to keep
the house accounts better, without
bothering her tired brother In the even
ing. Mathematics had always been hard,
even at school; and then, maybe, when
Sara got we'll enough to spare her, she
could get a position as cashier some
where. 1t wouldn't be right to stay on
and be burden, after Sara was able to
do her own work, though Sara was the
kindest of sister-in-laws, and she loveo
the home. She would ask Toms advice
and get him to see whether this Mr..
Bonner was good teacher, and ask Sara
again about the nice old lady.
About a week later Freda stood at the
front door of her neighbours, halfway
down the square. A sWeet-1aced eloer-
ly woman answered her ring, and. upon
learning her errand, took her INTO
pleasant living room and introduced her
Son. a tall, somewhat shy-looking young
man. with a frank, kindly face. Freda
liked him at once, for the way he smiled
at his mother and tucked her comforta-
blv into the biggest armchair, marked
him as good son. When Freda made
inquiries as to his bookkeeping classes,
he laughed, with mingling of humor
and embarrassment
Glasses is perhaps too ambitious
word, Miss Whiting, for the only one l
can boast is composed of small boys, and
meets at the church guild. But l shall
be glad to help you if you want to take
lessons, for have had some experience,
though | am not a prodigy OF learn
ing"
7'He has been assistant bookkeeper
with the Corning Company for the past
five years, with pretty good chance for
promotion" put in his mother with
pride, for the firm was an old and honor
ed one, and the son smiled again and
shook his head at her before going on to
state his modest terms. Freda arranged
to take one lesson week and found out
what she would need in the way of sup
plies, then rose to go, feeling that the
new acquaintance would be pleasant
SPOT in the monotony Of her days, aside
from the value of the lessons.
Brian might go to your house, as
YOU are so near, if you'd rather" sug-
gested the old lady, kindly, as they went
to the door, 'but he has the lights SO
we'll arranged for such work here, and l
miss him so when he's out IN the even
ing; so maybe you wouldn't mind com
ing to u.s. and Freda readily agreed to
this arrangement.
The lessons went well from the start,
for Freda was a patient, conscientious
student, if not a brilliant one, and she
honestly wished to increase her useful
ness to the good slster-ln-law, whose
mainstay she had been during long and
tedious illness, as well as to fit herself
for self-support. And young Mr.. Bon
ner was patient and considerate with her
mistakes and knew his subject thorough
". so it was not surprising that the study
evenings gave pleasure to them both.
AS for old Mrs. Bonner she had been
attracted to the girl at first sight, and by
some feminine freemasonry knew that
she loved the little domestic arts dear to
her own heart. Many helpful recipes
and household suggestions were tactfully
bestowed, in the little chats after the
lessons, and these were received with
fattering appreciation.
One evening, after Brian had returned
from plotting Freda safely across the
two rods of space between their homes,
the mother limited, with mischievous
twinkle, Il wouldn't mind having a
daughter like that, boysie" And Brian S
answering plush didn't greatly surprise
her.
AS the months wore on toward spring,
both teacher and pupil developed GER
tain self-consciousness; and there were
eloquent little silences now and then dur
ing the lesson hour, when eye or finger
tips inadvertently met. Good Mrs. Bon
ner, sewing on the other side of the
room, smiled to herself at such times,
and her motherly heart longed to hasten
the wooing, in spite of the charm of its
early stages, for she had already settled
upon the girl as the daughter of her
choice, knowing that her sweet, strong,
cherry presence would be an added bless
ing to their household.
One mild evening, as Freda started
out to take her lesson, she found Brian
waiting for her in the rocker on her own
front porch.
'sLet's not study tonight, he suggest
ed, coaxirgly; and when she hesitated,
pleasantly thrilled, yet conscientious, he
comprom sed humorously. 'Suppose we
take little walk, and I'll give you some
review questions and problems, and put
you through 2 regular exam! Wen find
out whether I've taught you anything;
and | won't charge you cent for the
lesson! Come on, Miss Freda!'
Freda came, with happy laugh, drift
oo,+o,todIx, with hin, throurh tho