The Pleasantville press. (Pleasantville, N.J.) 1912-1929, 1923-10-10
CHAPTER vi
Jim Talks the Weather Cold.

Going TO the rally, James?"
jim had finished his supper, and
yearned for a long evening in his attic
den with his cheap literature. But as
the district schoolmaster he was to
some extent responsible for the pro-
lection of the school property, and
felt some sense of duty as to exhibit
ing an interest in public affairs.
u guess I'll have to go, mother" he
replied regretfully. ~ want to see Mr..
Woodruff about borrowing his Bah
cock milk tester, and I'll go that way.
I guess I'll go on to the meeting"
He kissed his mother when he went
"a habit from which he never devil
ated, and another of those personal
peculiarities which had marked him as
different from the other boys of the
neighborhood. His mother urged his
overcoat upon him in vain-for Jim's
overcoat was distinctly a bad one,
while his best. suit, nov worn every
day as a concession to his scholastic
position, still looked passably well
after several weeks of schoolroom
duty. Il SttDIcu HIOIG tORkCdl " dS-
sumo hat the weather was milder
than 1t really was, on that sharp Octo-
Der evening, and appear at his best,
albeit rather ware of the cold. Jen-
ME was at home. and he was likely
to see and be seen of her.
You can borrow that tester" said
the colonel, "and the COWS hat go
with II. if you can use 'em. They
amt earning their keep here. But
how does the milk tester fit into the
curriculum of the school? A decora-
tion?'
I'VE want to make a few tests of
the cows in the neighborhood," an
sweree Jim. "Just another Of my fool
notions"
"All right" said the colonel. "Take
it along. Going to the ~speakin'f'
Certainly, he's going" said Jennie,
entering. ''Thls is my meeting, Jim"
Surely, I'm going" assented Jim.
And think I'll run along"
II wish we had room for you in the
car" said the colonel. But I'm going
around by Bronson's to pick up the
speaker, and I'll have IA ehuck-up
load"
mot so much of a load as you
Think said Jennie. I'm going with
Jim. The walk will do me good"
Any candidate warns TO her voting
population just before election but
Jennie had a special kindness for Jim.
lie was no longer a farm hand. The
fact that he was coming to be a center
of disturbance in the district, and that
she quite failed to understand how his
eccentric behavior could be harmo-
nized with those principles of teach
ing which she had lmbibed at the state
normal school in itself lifted him
nearer to equality with her. A public
nuisance Is really more respectable
than a %nonentity.
She gave Jim a thrill as she passed
through the gate that he opened for
her. White moonlight on her white
furs suggested purity, exaltation, the
essence OF Misunderstanding far
finer in the woman of twenty-seven
than the glamour thrown over him by
the school girl of sixteen.
Jim gave her no thrill for he
looked gaunt and angular in his
skinny, ready-made suit. too short in
legs and sleeves, and too thin for the
season. Yet, as they walked along,
Jim grew upon her. He strobe on with
immense strides, made slow TO accom-
modate her shorter steps, and embar-
~ oripn hnr hy hic nnffRn ahcapna ne
effort to keep step. For all that. he
lifted his face to the stars, and he
pointed out the great open spaces in
the Milky Way, wondering at their
emptiness and at the fact that no
telescope can find stars In them.
They stopped and looked. Jim laid
his hard hands on the shoulders of her
white fur collarette.
"What's the use of political meet
ings." said Jim, when you and l can
stand here and think our way out,
ever beyond the limits of our uni
verse;"
"A wonderful Journey" said she, not
quite understanding his mood, "but
while we roam beyond the Milky Way,
we aren't getting any votes for me for
county superintendent"
Jim said nothing. He was quite
r~e-established on the earth.
Don't you wan mi to be elected,
Jim?"
Jim seemed to ponder this for some
time-a period Nof taking the matter
under advisement which caused Jennie