Perth Amboy evening news., 1919-03-14

A CITY TEACHER
sv HELEN PATTERSON.


Slowly the big car stopped In front
m. white schoolhouse that was
marched upon a low hin. II was aftef
school hours and there was nothihs
thot indicated the house hao Deen
efled with noisy boys and girls only
half-hour before.
"Yes, this Is he very place. sa.
the occupant Of the car aloud. No'
much changed, either. since ale my
dinner on that rock. barefooted anu
bappy. New paint. shades and q nan
give II q more modern appearance. l
, ! wonder II the old desks are inside
I'm going to investigate" n surfing
hts actions to his words he was o
testing the hall door. To his surprise
n Welded to his touch. "Janitor must
he a little careless" he thought. as ne
crossed the narrow hall and ertereo
me schoolroom. In the dusk of the
short. wintry afternoon he could see
that the room had changed. New
desks, bIackboards. pictures and sash
curtains rave Ii an unfamiliar aspect.
The IRE was not wholly put In the big
stove. and as the man warmed his m
gers he became conscious that he was
not alone. Turning. he faced the
teachers desk. A slip of a girl. with
traces of tears on an unusually pretty
face, sat behind It. watching him. For
a moment the man locked at her, and
then I'm a kindly voice asked:
"Lonesome?"
"No, not entirely that" replied the
girl, winking hard to keep back the
tears.
Discouraged and tired7" he contin-
ued.
"Yes," quickly answered the girl.
"Ahi" said the a pausing TO
draw a chair nearer to the stool. "but
I don't believe it's nearly as bad as
you think"
"Yes. It is. This morning I was just
az happy. thinking Of all the beautiful
Christmas stories I was going to. teach
the children and what a good time we
would have illustrating them"
"And what married your plansf
Weren't the children interestedT
Interested You ought to have
seer them but it's q member Of the
school board. He had to visit us this
afternoon and spoil everything. He
didn't want me elected because ! had
always lived In the city and this was
my FIRST year Of teaching. Outside OF
a few small summer resorts I know
nothing of the country. but l argued
the children would be ignorant of city
life, and I could give them that. This
afternoon we had practical arithmetic.
original problems. Some Of the prices
Of grains. pigs Give weight). wood and
fertilizers the older ehileren didn't
agree on. and I knew nothing about
them. Mr.. P gave US the correct
prices. After school was dismissed he
asked me II It would not be as well
to acquaint myself with what the boys
and girls were interested In. The new
superintendent Is a young man. and
this is his first year also. OF courss
he will do just what the school board
tells him to do. and I shall be asked
to resign. and you don't know how I
hate to. 60 home because rye failed.s
II think / do" answered the man
with q kind smile.
For q few minutes they talked. the
man telling humorous experiences that
had happened when al q little boy he
had sat on the long board that served
as q seat. and vainly tried to make
his feet touch the floor. until the girl
forgot about her troubles; then he
took her to her boarding place. II
was not until the car was out Of sight
that the girl remembered she did not
know the mans name.
Two weeks quickly passed. Busy
gotten the new superintendent. and
that she had intended resigning her
school. She faithfully studied farm
products and could satisfy the most
exacting member Of the school board
On their market values.
School had Just been dismissed. The
girl. picking up papers. mi singing
Bethlehem" when . small boy who
had been eiappins erasers rushed into
the room.
'1fiss M Miss Nj" he
cried. 1.-THE new superintendent Ia out
here In the dandiest carl"
Flush. Robert" she mid a. she
turned to greet the superintendent,
who had followed close AFTER the boy.
Slowly the color rscsdsd from her face
only to rush hack In q burning blush
as she looked st the man In front Of
her.
"Miss ~" be was saying In the
same kind voice that had haunted her
for two weeks. II really intended to
get here earlier. but Q bad tire de-
talnsd ne. However. thought I
would get here before school dis
missed. but Tn ten minutes too iats."
"Why-you ars-if you are Mr..
G. the superintendent. u was un.
fair" said the girl. her eyes flashing.
Eyes. I guess Il waa." replied Mr..
C.. "but really. MiB ~ Il
wasn't an ohiciai visit and I had for
gotten the fact myself until n was too
late. So let us forget 1t and begin
over agnin today"
81 can't. II was 10 childish and stu
pid Of me-"
"If your work 10 finished I'd IKE