The Caledonian-record. [volume] (St. Johnsbury, Vt.) 1920-current, 1922-03-25

Jim Rathbone, my cousin Jim,
and what does he care whether
the Burritt children go to school
or not? Less than nothing Nor
nobody else, till Miss Rice told me
about it. Why that big Burritt
boy, that's eleven now, is a nice
bright boy as ever was, and he
couldn't hardly read the name OF
the town he lived in last fail.
Well, Miss Rice couldn't think of
anything to do about getting the
Burritt's to school except to go
to the proper officer about it. And
he being Cousin jim, that's all the
good it did.
But | could think of something
else, you'u better believe. | went
to Jims wife, and his daughter
and I called up the family every
morning at breakfast time to ask
'em if the Burnt children We're
going to school that day. And |
got all the neighbors round here
Stirred up too, and they'd tele-
phone once or twice every day;
and the men-folks when they went
10 town and see jim. they'd boiler
out, when are the Burrit children
comm to SCHOOL, We kind Of
made a game of it. But twan't no
game for Jim. He was as mad as
a hornet. You'd think to hear him
go on, that we we're all picking on
him without cause, and that it
want nothing to him whether the
Burl'its got any schooling or not.
Honestly | don't believe he'd ever
thought in his life before what it
meant TO be truant officer Rach-
ell, his wife, told me, that he got so
he'd swear like a trooper every
time the telephone rang.
But land tWan't long before the
Bul1'its were in school all four of
them, and nice young ones too,
though they do look as wild as
little hawks, with never seeing any
body before. Miss Rice and |, we
take special notice Of them and she
sends them over here to get wash
ed and combed when they come to
school very bad-you know their
mother amt more half-witted, for
all she's so good natured.. Miss
Rice has made an arrangement
with their folks to keep them down
here nights when its too stormy to
get back up there in the hollow,
and we're learning them all sorts
of decent ways, between us.
"Well, for mercy sakes!' | ex-
claimed, "Will you please tell me
where you put four children. as
well as Il school-teacher, over
night"
Aunt Mari explained, "Miss
Rice and | sleep rogeher, and we
put two of them IN the other bed,
and the others two, we send over
to the Perkinses-they've got an
extra bed, and | told Jen Perkins
I'd like to know what better use
she could make of her spare room
than to help civilize some children
in her own town that never would
get it any other way"
Oh yes, | knew how Aunt Mari
would say that, with her old jaw
set. and her sharp eyes piercing. |
understand how Jen Perkins would
the school-teacher to have valiant
understand what it had meant for
not have dared say no. Yes, quite
old Aunt Mari adopt her-and
with her the school and education
of the children in her district. And
although | was shouting a "hur1ah
for Aunt Mari'!" in my heart, |
was also laughing inwardly at the
picture of the marshalling of pub
lie opinion in the matter oil the
truant officer with Aunt Mari
marching at the head.
She was laughing too. and now
she said. "Well, yeu ought to hear
jim Rathbone swear he'll never be
tluant officer again. | rather think
Wen get somebody elected next
March meeting, that will expect to
do something's
AAt this moment the car came
back for me and I had to leave
Aunt Mari hobbling to the door
and calling after me, Goodness, |