Evening star., 1927-05-15

charming caprice Oh tlle Weath
er this February morning. AZ
she emerged from the subway
and set out toward School 209. she be
came aware that a Spring day was
blossoming before it's time. Spring!
Ethel felt wave of panic at the
thought Winter must not die. Its
surly snowfalls had been balm to her
aching heart. They had helped her
TO forget. Spring must not come 70
awaken her 10 recollection.
The Winter and the city had helped
her to dim so many things that would
have kept torturing her had she re-
mainer in her native South Corners.
IN New York she had forgotten the
dark. broad fields over which Will
lIanley and she had watched rising
moon. In the hurry Of New YORK
life she had actually drowned out the
memory of a wonderful hour spent
with VIII on One Mile Hill. their first
kiss. the sweet, foolish things they had
said.
II had been longer, however. before
the last scene in which WIN had fig
ured had faded from memory. For
months there thTobhed the memory OF
the evening at the dance, when she
had accidentally come upon Will and
Lora Sanders, a CLEAN Of light had
revealed Will looking at Lora with pal.
pitating admiration.
She knew that she regarded his look
as foolish, merely because it was di-
rected at Lora s big green eyes and
Corn-colOred hair instead Of at her
own dark hair and black eyes black
as an Italian girls he had once ca
ressingly said. She had gone back to
watch the dance. Then she heard
Wills voice:
Nothing serious between Ethel and
me. Lora. Can't take a girl like that
seriously-aIways raving about clouds
and sunsets"
The rush OF the city in Winter had
dulled even that memory. But as Ethel
approached her school this morning
she knew that her calm was being
broken. What on earth did she de.
sire? Life was just as she wished it.
uneventful and busy. Why was she
so restless? She must get a grip on
herself
She entered the principals office.
glad to find a number of teachers al.
ready there.
Good morning, girls A clear.
careless voice, alive with youth and
vitality, sang into the clatter.
They all looked up to greet Miss
Mathilde Coye, who was removing her
cloak.
Old Mrs. Kramers eyes lighted up.
What charming costume"
A chorus repeated her compliment.
Miss Coye tossed her bobbed, curled
hair and pirouetted on her high heels.
Her face, just trifie too full, turned
upon the drably dressed ladies'.
Got a date after school," she an
nounced. Thought ! might as well
mr. ix1rr "a
Who is Ii this time. Tillie?" asked
Miss Stein, enviously. The young
man who waited here for you last
week."
''Oh, no. said Miss Coye, decidedly.
He wants to improve my mind with
philosophy and vegetarianism. I'm
through with him"
Ethel felt a momentary envy of
Miss Coye. whom she had always con.
sidered aimless and a bit silly. That
was the way TO take life-lightly.
When one man displeased you, you
fitted to another. Yes, that was the
way TO take love--if one chose to take
1t at all. Better not take it at all.
came the echo Of her unhappy heart.
SOME OF the children were already
in room Az when she entered.
Sammy Fiddlebaum jumped ND and
flung his hand violently out at her.
Good morning, Miss Rand" he sing.
songed. "looka. teacha, there's writin'
on all the blackboards again from the
night SCHOOL,
Ethel surveyed the blackboards with
evaporation. They were covered with
the large, untidy scrawls of the for
eigners who used room 412 1t had
happened many times previously and
mad merely annoyed her: but in her
irritation OF this morning it tore at
her nerves. She sat at her desk and
wrote swiftly:
ITO the Evening School Teacher:
Will you be good enough to have the
biackboards cleaned each evening at
the end of your session? 1t is very an
moving to find them all scribbled over
edcn morning. Very truly yours.
DAY SCHOOL TEACHER"
She placed this note under her ink.
well. where the evening school teacher
could not fail to see it.
1t was the voice of Sammy Fiddle
naum that greeted her the next morn
ing as she came into her room.
Good morning, Miss Rand, Iooka. the
boards is all clean like new
Under the inkwell there was a note:
To the Day School Teacher: I am
not bad at heart, merely careless.
Thank you so much for your stimulus
10 walk in the path of righteousness.
From now on the blackboards will be
immaculate. Gratefully,
ARTHUR TALBOT"
Lets hope So" murmured Ethel.
Next morning she found the boards
covered with hieroglyphics.
She wrote shorter and more vfgor.
Gus note.
May I call your attention 10 the
oisgraceful state of the boards this
morning. 1t is exceedingly annoying.
''E. RAND"
The boards We're models of cleanH.
ness the next morning. And again a
contrite note.
A fire drill drove us all out of the
building the other night at 9:45, and it
wasn't until was on my way home
that / remembered"
That was Friday. The following
morning the boards were still i'm
fr1aculate. Mr.. Talbot's class in Eng
lsh to foreigners had not had an on
portunity to use the boards, since il
did not meet Friday nights, Ethel
knew. On Tuesday morning she dis.
covered that the contriteness of Mr..
talbot had lasted over the week end.
Not only had the boards been care.
fully busted of chalk, but they had
been washed as well.
And there was brief note under
the ink well:
Dear Miss Rand: How do you like
them this morning?
ARTHUR TALBOT"
That provoked a smile from Ethel.
In spite Of the inexplicable cloud un.
der which she was still laboring. And
when she was cleaning up her desk,
preparatory to leaving that afternoon,
1t occurred to her that it had been
nice of this night.school teacher TO be
solicitous Of her feelings in this mat.
ter. He ought to be encouraged to con.