Morgan County Democrat. (McConnelsville, Ohio) 1886-1943, 1930-02-13
led. "How does one fasten the

claimed. "How does one fasten the
door?"
ooh, that's what the bench
'thout any back is for. Push it UP
by the door-you can't get it clear
shut. Sometimes they wire it, but
Mitchy allus takes the wire off. HUI
ia and Garnette can come up and
help you when you-all get through
lookin' around. I'll tell them to. =
In second she heard the bare feet
slapping on the dry road.
Jean sat down on the wooden step
and looked over the silent, peaceful
country. Just as she was thinking
about crying, she heard low mur-
mur of voices, and two huge figures
schoolhouse. They stared at her in
evident surprise, and one of them
setting down his gun addressed her:
You're new teacher?" he stated
rather than asked.
"Yes, I'm the new teacher she
replied trying to look over their
heads but failing.
How long are you figurin' on
teachin'?" he inquired mockingly.
"All WINTER Jean answered
bravely, with all the dignity she
could assume.
Both men laughed, and after a
leisurely stare the first one remark
ed, "My names Odar Scragg; he's
my brother, Mitchy. Our other
brother goes to school-maybe We'll
start" he added laughing loudly.
His brother jerked his arm, and
they sauntered on down the road,
finally disappearing into the woods
in search of game.
Jean was beginning to wish Wal
ter's sisters would hurry, when she
saw strange troop of children COM
ing down from the summit of the
mountain, along a faint trail she had
quite overlooked. They were bare
footed, the girls dressed in clean,
gay percale, with their hair braided
so tightly that they could not blink
their hard, black eyes. They were
tanned brown as the beechnuts they
were stopping to gather. One boy
resembled his sisters somewhat, but
the other was frail and white with
blue eyes and light hair They too
stopped when they saw Jean and
seemed about to turn back; but the
largest girl showed them roughly
and they came on.
I'm the new teacher" Jean call
ed reassuringly. DO you go to
school here?"
"Yes," drawled the tall girl in the
most irritating of nasal tones. I'VE
all go to school here. What's your
name?"
Jean disregarded her question.
'I'm waiting for a boy named Wal
ter" she informed them. do you
know where he lives?"
ooh, yes," the girl replied read
lily, frowning at the larger boy who
had said, NO" Were goin' by
thar. You-all goin' to his house for
dinner? Nanny told us never to ak
any teacher home with us. She
don't like them-they're too brig.
getty. You-all can go to Watts
with us. School begin Monday?"
Jean answered their quickly put
questions, feeling vastly relieved
when they came to the valley and
saw two plump, rosy~cheeked girls
waiting by huge footlog. They
came forward shyly, and one Of
them said in soft, pleasant voice:
1--WE saw you-all comm and wait
ed here for you. The children can
hardly wait for you to come so they
can see you. Walter said you-ali
was awful nice. I'm glad you're 60
ing to be our teacher"
They crossed the footlog. A chill
breath of wind rustled the falling
leaves Back on the mountainside
leaves were dropping softly around a
dreary building that stood empty
but waiting-for what, Jean did not
know, but she looked back wit,
foreboding. She knew that winter
would soon be closing in on Pass
Mountain
The foregoing is taken from the
Pittsburgh Christian Advocate and
was written by Miss Alice Nuzum,
formerly of this place, but now OF
Mohawk Village She is daughter
of Rev. J. L. Nuzum, former pas
tor on the McKendree circuit