The Glenwood post., 1923-12-06

know that Woodruff district job hain't
big enough for you any more; but we
can make it bigger. If you'll stay I
believe we can pull off deal to con-
solidate some of them districts, and
make you boss Of the whole shooting
match"
Il appreciate this, Clumb." said
Jim. 'but ] don't believe you can do
it."
"Well, think Of it," said Columbus
And dent do anything till you talk
with me and few of the other boys"
"rhink of it" again
y fine homecoming it was Tor Jim.
with the colonel waiting at the station
with double sleigh, and the chance
tn ride into the snowy country in the
sane seat with Jennie-a chance which
was blighted by the colonels placing
Beitina and Nils Hansen in the broad
rear seat, and Jim in front with himself.
The colonel would not allow him. to
get ont and walk when he could really
have reached home more quickly by
doing so; no, he set the HansenS
down at their door, took Jennie home,
and then drove the lightened sleigh
merrily to the humble cabin of the
rather excited young schoolmaster.
Did you make any deal with those
people down in the western part of
the state?" asked the colonel Jennie
wrote me that you've got an offer"
No" said Jim, and he told the
colonel about the proposal of Mr..
Hofmyer.
"Well," said the colonel, sin my
capacity of wild-eyed reformer, I've
made up my mind that the first four
miles in the trip is to make the rural
teachers job a bigger job. It's got
to be a mans size, womans size job,
or we can't get real men and real
women to stay in the work"
~ think that's statesmanlike
formulation of it," said Jim.
We'll" said the colonel, don't turn
down the Pottawatomie county job
until we have chance to see what
we can do. I'll get some kind of a
meeting together, and what want
you to do is to use this offer as club
over this helpless school district.
What we need is to be held up. Do
the Jesse James act. Jiml"
II can't, Colonel" !"
Yes, you can, too. VIII you try it?''
81 want to treat everybody fairly"
said Jim, Including Mr. Hofmyer. l
don't know what to do. hardly"
"Well, I'll get the meeting together"
said the colonel. land in the mean
time, think of what I've said"
Another thing to think of! Jim
his mother, who had expected him to
arrive after slow walk from town
through the snow Jim caught her in
his arms. from which she was re-
leased a moment later, quite flustered
and hlushing
'Why, James," said she, you seem
excited What's happened?"
Nothing, mother" he replied, "ex.
eept that l believe there's just a pos
sbility of my being a success in the
world"
MY boy, my hoyl" said she, laying
her hand on his arm, "if you were tc
| die tonight, you'd die the creates
success any boy ever vast YOU
fnother is any Judge"
Jim kissed her, and went up to hi
attic to change his clothes Insid,
the waistcoat was worn envelope
which he carefully opened, and tool
! from it letter much creased iron
many fOldings. 1t was the old lette
| from Jennie, written when the com
| tcal mistake had been made of max
ing him the teacher of the Woodruff
school. He read only the sentence fl
which Jennie had told of her father
| interest in Jim's success. ending witt
the underscored words I'm for you
too"
81 wonder" said Jim, as he wen
out to do the evenings tasks. ~ won
der If she is for mel''