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HomeMy WebLinkAboutThe Signal, 1908-12-10, Page 5THE SIGNAL : GODERICH, ONTARIO T.tutta )AT, l)e,rt+mbto: 10, 1JOS Mea ow Brook BY F S. MARY J. HOLMES Author of " tempest and Sunshine," " Lena Rivers," "The English Orphans." cht.1.. to .i..l. 4 .t.. ./. CHAPTER 111 if en tar as the gulden Californian land tbis book of. mine shall reach it aim, perchance. fall into the hands re sera. who, from their number. ran select the veritable h. • the "Cousin µ1l1" of my story If so. I would ask own, td think ae leniently as poesiblt• of his faults, herein reourded, for the monotached Will of California. whose reneroue conduct wins the love of v!, in hardly the same wild, mis- ehievous boy. who 000s kept our home in a perpetual state of excitement. The wars were scarcely yet fined, which he had shed over his mother's rullin, when he came to us, yid in ddne corner of his green, oval trunk, there lay • trees of soh brown hair. which he had severed from that inn- thrr'• head He was the son of cry mother's only sister, who, _on her death -bed had nornmittes hint to the ruardranehip of my father, asking Min to deal gently with her wayward toy. for beneath his faulty- extepor then lay a mine of excellence. which esueht gave words of love could fa- thom Without meaning to be so. perhaps. my lather was • stern, reserved man. rover seeking the ounld nee of L . children, -wbcus real characters he did not understand. It is true he loved us- provided for all our wants, and. as far as possible, strove to Make its what the children of • New Falkland Preebyteriasi deacon ought to be; but he 'trident petted ua. and if Came, with her sunny face and etiteetuut: • earL,. ioaketintae stole up behind hint 'sed twined her chubby arms seetin 1 hu neck, he 'teemed shamed to r- ime her caress. ideas they we: t- alons. Hrether Charlie be. looked upo se almost mrnrrigible. but if be Mum! it,hard to cope with his bole.- fun- bv g spirit, it wan tenfold.more drtH- eult r him to tame the mischievous Will horn scarcely any oto could t who. strange to say, was a gene•rai\ favorite lh was night when he reached Mead- • es 1: ook, aril 1 waw in bed, but threug!' the domed doors I eaught the ward of hie voice, and le an instant 1 r.1a-nencrd • sennateou of delight, a if in him 1 should find a kindred spirit 1 cr,.tld not wait until meriting before 1 saw him. and. ruing softly. ay dotter Thi dark neate- n!' to- a knothole. slash had more than ewe done me service when sant 'finis. t!te ronin while my mother and -her company told something i wag not to hearHe was' Pitting so that .the - fight fid the tamp fell fall upon- hfs ace. which, with its high, white brow. haul eyes and mass of wavy hair. snood to me the meet beautiful i had even seen. Involuntarily I thierht of myrnrn plain -features. and saying to myself."Hell never tike, me. never," 1 crept back to bed, won- dennr if it were trne that homely little ride made sometimes handsome women • The next morning. wishing to pro - hoe ns favnrabls nn impreaion as priseible, i was an unusually long lase -snaking my toilet—trying nn one dose after another. and Anally deeid- iqg 'Iron a wkiv rambrie, which 1 never wore except to rhurets. or on seine aimiler neeasion. Giving an tell hnigh 1n my 'air, wineh peen nut darker and so very ' rte. that charley eall4 me 'Snarly t., T "torted for the breakf t-rv+nra where the family were bled. "What upon Perth has a child got er" was grandma's . elaniation as sk. neatest at me, over and on- de*'her .loner,, w Ile mother bade me "en straight , . k and change my Mme• "iMing " h7 1 had put on my "Settin' rap for BM, I guess," interested who, bo7•Bke. wwe already n trans ni groat intimacy with 1 e musts. r angry that grieved. T went to my room, where 1 pouted for alt an hour or more. Then, aeler-,,ng the wooed looking draws i had. 1 Brain descended to the dining -mem where Barley presented me to Will, telling him at the same time "to spare all enmmenta nn my appearance, as it made me madder than a March hare to be railed ugly " "I don't think she's ugly. Anyway I like her looks," Raid Will, smiling down ripen me with thaw eyes which have eines made many a heart heat as mine did then, for 'twits the first ermplinrent of the kind 1 had ever received. Will had aleays lived in the city, anxious to APP the hone of the o'onntry at onrn, he proposers to ('herbs n ramble over the farm. in- vitrnr m.• to arrompany them. which 1 did a-I:linrly, notwithstanding that Charlie muttered something about 'int wanting a gal stuck along." 1n the pnatnre we run. aeroae "Old Sere!. ' ohms Will said he would ride as they did in a ferrule if Charlie would only catch him This was an easy tank, for Sorrel, Rr>•pecting no en came up to un quite readily, wh•^, Will, leaping upon hie back, i'••mn;en••.d wh.opinr and hallooing I",idly that Sorrel's reseals was up, anal 1,.r nearly en hour he ran quite as fast ;i. hes rider mulct wish Ilut cir- eus riding wan not Sorrel's forte, and he erebably grew diuy, for be at keen?' stumbled and fell. injuring his fere foot in some way, so that. to our dismay, we found he was unable to walk without a great effort. "Jemi-o ! Won't the old gentle- man rave! said Charlie. whu was never very rhoiee of his language will, 00 the contrary. seemed more "mneerne.l for the horse, bringing wee ter in his hit, and bathing the fast - evening limb of the poor animal. wise tepearetd to be grateful for the kind- ness. Charlie prnpewed that we should keep it a seeret, but to this Will would not listen, and in a plain, straightfor- ward wav he r.rofesaed what he had 4407. anti father, who saw that Borrel wag temporarily injures t. forgave hhn. tot he enuld net resist the pleedine nt K'ill's dark eyes. This was his first day's adveneem the next one wax a iiaM diessad Pinduii • Oow in the lana, he arced tnw PIpPriment of milking. s•steaeiil4 to well that when at night nano in with her half Mind pail. she d► eland that "Lime bank emistvykag r� _tar she'd only given • dreg tr — m the and mmeste ens cadres arlots- nseuont Will also ramived ittits IAA when on the awxwwf /3ahbsre' M1s► nada arrival he and (iadia peal s"ra ximod trate tllttingk.. stir 4 4 4 4 aside, as 1 beard a man near the door exclaim. "Deacon Leen children, as i live Is the world coming to an end?" instantly my flue flushed. for I felt flint injustice was done to my father. 1 and my first impulse was to exonerate him from all blame by explaining that e d. had run away; but ere 1 could do - se Will plied me along;- end -in a mo- ment we were in the close, heated at- mnephere of the vast arena, where were congregated mere than a thou- sand people, of all ages and condi- tions T WAR confounded, for it seem- ' ed to me that each and every one wee pointing towards us the finger of srnrn, and never since have i felt i.: wholly degraded and ashamed as 1 did at the moment of my first en- tranoe to a circus!! W'e had been but a abort time seat- ed, when Will, who had divined my feelings, nudged my elbow, and point- ing towards • group just entering, said, "See, there's 'Squire Talbot, hie wife and daughter, I)r. Griffin, and lots more of Meadow Brook aristir eraey. Now, ain't you glad you earner' It wee at he said. and es I saw the above mentioned individuals, some of thein professors of religion, and all of them people of the beet standing in town. I can scarcely tell how I felt. it war n sennatiun of mingled pleas- ure, bewilderment, and perplexity. Could it be that, after all, my father they had started a fuU half hour be- fore the rest of our family, father grew fidgety. holding his hymn boots wrong side up. and eating, instead of standing, during the prayer, a thing be was never known to do before He wan very strict in the observance of the fogs twrnmandment, ae indeed were rn st of the citizens of Meadow Brook, it being an almost State Prison offence to stay away from church on the Sabbath, or speak above a whis- per until after sunset. Ay the way, I think it a mistake, this ounverting the Sabbath into a day 'so much to be dreaded by the youthful, tun -loving members of the family, who are not yet old enough to see the propnety of having in reserve a Sunday face. as well as a, Sunday roan. I would nut have that accred day profaned, but 1 would have it di- vested of that gloom with which it is tee often aesocutted in the-ctiilit n mind. I would have everything inn fleeted with it es cheerful mid plea., ant as •ptawible, and in these day. of Sabbath schools and S•bbatt school- k•," it- aeeme an easy mat ter to make it '.'The day of all th week the best." I well remember one rayny Sunday, when the whole tam were oblllteyj_.to lamins r younger one. reciting the• Caterh inn te Rreedsna, committing to mem Ory and repeating to mother ten' vat r.'t c the fhitit chum r. of 111: ti;:<zr and there being compelled to ant up stiff and straight while father' read to UR a long metaphysical sermon which ha i•terepereed and lengthened out with remark. of hie own, among which war the censoling one- that "Iteaven was zie eternal - Sabbath." This wee tt4 much for Charlie, whose mind, instead of dwelling on the words of the good divine, was -sadly wasdenng towards a nest of young white pyre, only that morning torn. Turning t .wards me with a moat rueful face, he whispered, "Darned if ts11 go there. I'U nuaway hest." Of" course 1 laughedaloud—hew could I help it; and nn my saying that' "Charlie trade me," we were both ordered from the room in die - grace, which latter we bore manfully --Charlie going etratght to his pigs, while 1 stale up garret to a big candle - hex, where, on one of my old dresses. is7 CDsrptrrg- atz 'heautitut kittens But 1 am wantienryt from my sob- jeet, which was thetime when Wil and Charlie were missing fr church, and when to lite utter iahinent, father learned that th pone to the consecration of a (>athotir churl+, which h been erected a little out .lag., on -an eminence, whi .es could be seen fr Atewinet the 4' denomination niy diced, and when hit son. born n baptized in not only but had the pri deal ed. was wrong, that he wan too strict with un, debarring us from innocent amuse- ments, for If it were proper for mem- bermof the church to frequent such places, why was it not for me? Now, I can answer promptly that my fa- ther was right, but I was puzzled then, and gradually I began to rare !major being there, and to have less s fear of what father would say when , he found it nut.' I was growing very _ brave, entrenching myself behind the e bad example of those who little epe- pected the harm their presence was - I doing. Father did not know the ways of t..u+� the worn ht, but alter be- ing• enlightened by me, I was sure . he would" become a convert at once, and poanibly at the next circus he would be in attendance, but from this ' not idea I involuntarily shrank, tmtan st rk, thinking I• could never respect him again, were he guilty of such a thing. I enjoyed it vastly, all except the riding of tate girl, who I lanced had en her little sister's dress, and when she came out I looked for a place where 10 hide tiny head; bqt hearing the spectators cheer louder than/ever. I cast furtive glances at those around me, discovering to my yamazement that they seemed mo/dig •hted with her than with anytelse; while, oto crown all. i heaill telling a young m•0, that "she was a splendid 'rider, that he never saw but one who could beat her, and that was a girl in Albany.'` 'Then turning to Limpe, he asked if she would not like to tide in that With &involuntary shudder I threw my a around my sister, at if to her front what I felt would be than a thousand deaths. Gra- y there was dawning upon my rid the euepicion that a circus alter all was not exactly the school for pare young girls, end I felt that not all the wealth of the Indies could tempt me to tilt, the post that that rider did. Towards the other actors I was more lenient, thinking that if ever i joined the circus, I should surely be the clown, whose witty apeecher amused me greatly, for i did not thein know that they wree ail made up beforehand, and that what be said to tit t -day he would say to others on the morrow. Mlle. Gleraine wee just finishing up her perform- ance by riding around the circle with- out nther eupport than the poising of one foot nn a man's shoulder, when who would appear but our father! He had minced Will and Charlie Matti family prayers, and had traced tient as far as the pavilion, where the fesrecerver demanded a quarter ere be would allow him to enter. It was In `wain that father tried to explain matters. oaring, he never attended a circus in his hie, and what wee more never should; he'd only mme for two Dom* who had run away." The doorkeeper was incorrigible; "he'd seen just ea honest looking men," he said, "who were the great- est cheats in the world, and is hi- ther wanted to go in, he could do so by paying the Usual fee; it not, he must budge." Briding there was no alternative, father yielded, and then made his Way hit° the tent, scanning with his keen grey eyes the sea of faces until he singled oat f'harlie, who was so abandied in stamping and hallooing at Mlle. Glaraine's leaping through a hoop, that he never dreamed of fa- ther's preeenoe until it rough hand was bud upon his shoulder, and a stern voice demanded of him why he was there? Perfectly thnnd.retrodt, Charlie started to his feet with the exclama- tion of "Je eslem 1" hut before he could make any explanation father dieooyerwl Limie and me 'Twee the Ann, svepiciern he had of our being cheat, and now, when he caw us, he turned pale, and reeled as if smitten by a heavy blow Had he felled me kr the earth it would have hart me lents than did the a of his fare and the tontes ofih s voice. as he said. "You, ton, Rena! I never thought you would thus deceive me." 1 began to cry ahead; so did Little, and rn this way we made our exit from the circus, followed by Charlie. John. and Will, the latter of whom, the mo- ment we were in the npe-n cur, began to tithe the blame all tri himself, saying. ae was veru true. that we never t o fight of gning but for him, and awgt*esting that le, alone should be weighed, ae he was the one most in fill. I thought this was very mag- nanimous in Will, net 1 looked up in fate's fare to war how it affected him, but the moonlight wee obscure, and I could discover nothing. though the hand that held mine trembled violently. i presume he thought that in this raw corporal punishment would be of no avail, for we received pone het in vnrioue ways were we inn, to feel that we had loat the eon- fidentr of the family. For four long weeks we. were each night locked into' our roorna, while for the Ramo length of time we were kept from eehool, Lizzie and I reciting our letanns to our mother, while Wit, Charlie. and John, to use their -own words, "work- ed !Anti morning antiltnight, like- L•rg. But the worst part of it all was tae temporary diegraee whieh our act of disobedienen brought upon father. A halt drunker' fellow, who saw him enter the tent, and who knew that we were there, harried away le the vil-, lage with the startling intelligence that "Demure Lee and all -hie family were at the circus •' The rr+wR misread like wildfire ,gs- therirrg aberepth in its prevew until by the time 1 neatens um t it was a current report that not only was fa- ther at the cissa, but grandma too! ThM wet more than the old lady could bear Rixtyafvw year' had elle lived witsevt r ar tasvingra worm brnatherl agrw ait her imorsia, aril now, just as )r litesteme n waa►etating. to ham had omen recently f the vi. re IU white every point. -as a religions ather was preju- e asecrtained that rthndox parents, and • nrthndox faith, had nwey to their ehurch, so paid twenty-five rents; of admission, he was a real rated, and ter it deacon show- nsiderable ,-tempos. It waa, of eft 1SP, Will's dui , he having enaz- Charlie to g by telling him of the wonderful s' hie there were to be seen . %t a late': hour they came home, Initering anrtind the barn a long time before they ventured into the presence of my father, whom my grandmother had somewhat aytpeased by telling him thin "boys must sow their wild nate sometime, end it wasn't beet to he loo strict with 'em, for it only made 'em act worse," ridding that "the Catholics' weer not the worst folks in the world. and they had just ss much right to their form of wor- ship se wi• had to ours." This in a measure mollified him, and conse- quently the two boys only received a long leetnre, and were debarred the privilege of ening to the village. ex - rept on Rundaye. for three weeks, a punithm.nt which annoyed Will ex- r-wlingly. Rut nothing need subdue him, and the moment the three weeke had expired' he wait an ready for mite ebief ea ever. For a long time the enuring 01 a (trent had been heralded by flaming handbille in red and yet - few. one of which Will plastered onto our great been done, from whieh con- spienoue poet it oat removed by my fnther, who cnnseientionsly turned his hnek upon men and women riding on their herein, declaring it an outrage upon ell Hiles of propriety, end de- nnrinrtng rircue and cirrus-gning pop- ple as utterly low and vulgar. Thus from my.earliest. remembrance had 1 been tough,, and still my heart. would thrnh faster, whenever, with the beat of the drum and the sound of the tingle, the long pm -mention event pant our door, and more than nnre had, 1 stolen to the top of the hill. whence could be seen the Asating banner and swaying canvas, watehing from afar the evil T dared not approaeh. Great, then, was my surprise, when, nn the morning of the eventful day, Will suggested that Charlie. John, 1.issie and i should ran away in the evening and visit the "doings," as he railed it. 1 woe shirked that he should propose my going to such • place. "1t was low and vulgar." 1 told him. "and no one went then bat loafers and rowdies " Ilut he assured me that r was mis- taken, saying that "sone of our most respectable people attended ;" and then he wondered "how 1 was ever to know anything unless I ogee in • while went to a circus, or a theatre. or something. it was perfectly Heti- culotns," he said. "for father to keep us AO eonped up at hearse. Nobody else did en.- There was lawyer Smith's daughter. anti Judge Brown's niece in Albany. whu always went, and if it didn't hurt them, it wonld't roe." Thus Will reasoned, persuading me at last; and just at dark. Lizzie and 1, on pretence of going to bed early, went 10 our room. dreamed ourte vee in our beet, i donning the white csun- brie, whirl' i had worn on the first day of Will's arrival. and then when we were ready gut out upon the etre of the wood -shed, whieh came up un- der our whitlow, descending thence by mPnne of a loader which Will and Charlie brought from the barn 1 had the utmost rnnfide•rwe in Will, and yet lie 1 drewear tle tent, and Mw the rabble. willows appearwnee fully few elIy my (ether's, description, 1 wished myself away. Jnet then the bend intirle etrnrk rep. and gewl my fears to the winds. I premed 1 once invethuitarily tanning my heed pro d such a thing' laid to her eilvge-was too much, and she actually worried herself into a foyer which confined her to the house for several weeks.. After this adventure it became • serious question in father's mind as to what he should do with Will. who kept our ,heretofore quiet household in a state of Fiarpetual excitement. No- thing anemed to have the least const upon him save the mentum of his mo thur, and that for the time being would subdue hire, but when tempta- tion came, he invariably yieilded, and Charlie, who was en apt /doter, was pretty sure to follow where his wild, dashing_cousin led. There was egos ly any boyish vice to which Will was not more or less addicted and "Dea- con Lee's sons," who had often been held up as patterns for their compan- ions, began 50011 to prove the old adage true, that "evil Oommunica- Uorue corrupt good mariners." John learned to handle an oath quite fluently, while Charlie was one Sunday morning discovered playing euchre with Will on the hay loft,, where they kept their cards hidden. But all this was nothing eompared to the night when both of the ,boys were brought home so intoxicated that neither of them was able to stand alone or speak! .r Theyhad beenton "raising," where the brandy bottle circulated freely, Will, as n matter of courtie, drinking from..t.he hegtn"ing,,, Charlie, however, hesitated until they taunted him with "being afraid rt the old deacon,"'daring him "to drink and be a man." Then he yielded, and with fiendish pleasure tine crowd ga- thered • atoned, -urinint-olsiinomin -uM4I- he was undeniably ,drunk; after whieh they chuckled with delight as they wondered what the "blue Preabvter- tan" would say. We were sitting down steppe" when they bnwght home, and the moment mother saw him, she darted fostfard, exclaiming. "Is. he dead? Tell ne, je my boy dead?" '"Yes. • .'* ru , ' answered the man, wit a cold, ironical sneer at her dis't'ress. He .teas used to it, for of five noble son who once' carred-litni -,heir fa- t r, four steps in a drunkard's grave, dile e fittn had far bet tet have been there than the wreck he was. My tad• ther had risen from his seat, but at the words "he is drunk," he dropped upon the floor as if scathed with the lightning's stroke. You who think it a light matter—the holding of the wine -cup to the lips of your neigh- bor's child—you ahould have seen my father ttet night, aremean after moan of anguish carne- from his pale lips, while the great drops of perspirgtien stood thickly upon his forehead- and about his mouth. The effect 21 had -upon hint wee terrible; crushing him to - the' earth, and - weaving in among his hitherto brown locks more than one thread of silver. Once when Charlie was with me,. I heard him in the barn; praying that the promise of a covenant God might be remembered towards him, and that his son might yet be coved, Chadic&_ feelings were touched, and dropping on his knees at my side he made a solemn vow that never again should ardept spirits of any kind pass his lips; and God, who heard that vow mingled with my father's prayer, registered it in Heaven, and from that day to thin, amid all the tempta- tione which come to early manhood, it has been unbroken. Not thus easily could Will be reach- ed. His was the sorrow of a day, which passed away with- the coming of to -morrow's sun, and after a long consultation, it was decided that he should go to sea, and the next mer- chantman bound for the East Indies, which sailed from Roston, here on its deck, the a common sailor, onr cousin Will, who went front us reluctantly, fee- to frim therm was naught -tint ter; ror, toil, and fear in "a life on the ocean .wave." But there was nn other way to save' him. they surd,- and so with bitter gnei--t- onr hearts, we bade adieu to the wayward buy, pray- ing that God would .give the winds and waves charge cnnrerning him, and that no danger might befall him when afar on the rolling billow, CHAPTER IV. Of the many thousand individuals destined to become the purchasers of a copy of this work, a majority have undoubtedly been, or are still teach- ers, and of these marry wilt remember the time When they fancied. that to be invested with the dignity of a teacher was to secure the greatest amount of happiness which earth can bestow. Mmost from my earliest re- membrance rt had been the rine great subject which cngroased my thoughts, and frequently, a nen strolling down the shady hill -side which led to our schoolhouse, have I fancied myself the teacher, thinking that if such were really the case, my find, act should be the chastisement of half a ecore or more boys, who were in the daily habit of annoying me in various ways. Every word and action of my teach- er, too, wan carefully noted aril laid away against the time when I should need them, and which came much sooner than 1 anticipated; for one rainy morning when I,izz_ie and I were playing -in e garret, i overheard my father saying there was a chance for Raga to teach school. "What, that child!" was my moth- er's exclamation, hut ere he could re- ply, "the child" had hounded down two pair of stairs, and stood at his elbow, aeking, "Who is it? Where is it?—Aud do you suppose I can get a certificate?" ' This last idea damped my ardor somewhat, for horrible visions came up before me, of the "Abbrevations" and "Sounds of ,the Vowels," in both of which I was rather deficient. "You teach Reboot! You look like it!" said my sister Juliet. "Why, in less than three days you'd he teeter- ing with the girls. if indeed you did- n't climb trees with the boys." This climbin' war undeniably .a a failing of mine, there being Rcarta- ly a tree on the (nrni on Whose top- most limbs i hadn't at some time or other been perched ; but I wan older now. f was thirteen two days be- fore, and so I reminded Juliet• at tate same time begging of father to tell me all about it. ft appeared that he had that day met with n biz. Ran- dall, the trustee of l'ine District, who wee in quest -nf a tew'ttsrr. Alter. learning that the school wits small, e father ventured to promise me, Who he said, "was crazy to keep school." "A dollar a week is the most we ran give her," returned Mr. Randall, "and if you'll tike up with that, mebby we'll try her. New beginners enmetimee do the heat." So it was arranged that I was to teach fifteen weeke for four dollars per month and "board round" at that Bearding round! How many reminis- esneves do these two words recall to those whu, like myself, have tried it, and who know that it has n variety o1 Pig{iiflcations. That gometimee it M holy another name for sleeping with every child in the femfly where your hnrpp for one week may drawn to be-- for how can you be insensible vc.t• have arranged with .t+'.'. 4 Perrin to place Santa Claus Biscuits on sale with all first-class dealers, �N7 Get some from your grocer; they are delicious. Yours truly, SANTA CLAUS. 12 Varieties. to the oftrrepeated whisper, "I shall sleep with her t.o-rlight—ma said I might" and of -"saws ' audible an-_ ewer, "Perhaps, sis, she don't want you to" If "sig is a clean, chubby -looking . little creature, you do want her; but it,, of -it_.uce unfresuently happens ,. she is just the opposite, -- It draw a blank which alines, every country teacher in the land can till, merely saying that there is no alter- oative. We have gut the district to .pdertxe and,.. lie _must do it ammo Way' or other. Again, "boarding round" means a quiet. cozy spot, where everything is so pleasant and cheerful. where the -are too kind and the smile of welcome so sweet, that you feel at once at home, and wish, oh, how -you do wish, you could stay there all the summer long; but it cannot be; -the me o your a a sojourn passes away, and then with a sigh, if indeed you can repress a tear, you gather up your combs, brushes, and little piece of embroidery, to whieh some spiteful woman has said "you devote more time than to your school," and putting thein in your sachet, depart for another home. sometimes as pleasant as - the one you are leaving, sometimes not. Itut of these annoyances i knew nothing, and when Mr. Randall came to see me, calling, me Miss Lee, and when T was really engaged, my happi- ness was complete. In a country neighborhood every item of nts, however alight, spreads rapidly, and the fact that I was to teach soon be- came generally knovin, creating quite a sensation, and operating differently upon different natures. One old gen- tleman. who, times innumerable, had held me on his knee, feeding my van- ity with flattery, and my stomach with tweet -meats, was quite as much de- lighted as I;` declaring, "he always knew I was destined to make some- thing great." -- refit old manT""'Wrirti the gt501rk tyt last winter were high piled upon the earth, they dug for him a grave in the frozen ground, and in the world where now he lives, he will not know, perhaps, that I shall never fulfill hie prophecy. Aunt Sally Wright, who, besides managing her own affairs, kept an eye on her neighbors', and who look- ed upon me as a "pert, forward pieee "- gave her npinion freely. What! That young one keep school! Is Deacon Lee crazy? Ain't Roee atuck up euough now? But never mind. You'll see she won't keep out more'n halt her time, i1 she does that." Aunt Sally was gifted with the power of telling fortunes by means Of tea -grounds, and I have always ted she reed aha, prediction in the bottom of her big blue cup, for how could she otherwise have known what actuallypaned ! Ere long the news rescheddPine District, creat- ing quite au excitement, the older people 'declaring "they'd never send to a little girl," while the juvenile portion of the inhabitants gave a con- temptuous whistle or go in honor of the school ma'am elect. Mrs. Capt. Thompson, who boasted the biggest house, handsomest carpet and worst - boy in Pine Hill, was wholly incredu- lous, until she one day chanced to meet -with Aunt Sally, who not on confirmed it. but also kindly gave her many little items touching my character at a "wild, romping minx, who was no more qualified for a teacher tnen for the Queen of Eng- land," citing as proof of what she said, that only the year before she had seen me "trying to ride pri a Mrs. Capt. Thompson, who was blessed with an overwhelming sense of propriety. was greatly shocked, saying "she'd always thought Mr. Ran- dall knew just enough to hire a child," and oonaoling herself with the remark that "it was not at all prob- able I'd get a certificate." ' On this point i wan myeelf a little fearful. True, I had been "sent away" to school, and had been flattered into the belief that I possessed far more book knowledge than I did; but this, I knew, would avail me nothing with the • formidable committee who held my destiny in their hands. They was unbiased in my favor, and had probably never heard of me, as they lived in an adjoining town. But "where there's it will there's a way," and- determining not to fail, I ran- sacked the cupboard, where ' our school -books war•' kept, bringing thence Olney's Geography, Cothurn'a Arithmetic, History of the United States, Grammars, etc., all of which were for days my conMant compan- ions, and i even slept with one or more of them under my pillow, AO that with the earliest dawn I could study. Whole pages of Geography were committed to memory, all the hardest problems in Colburn were solved, a dozen or more of compound relatives were parsed and disposed of to my satiefartirm at least, and 1 was just beginning to feel atrcmg In my own abilities', when one Monday afternoon all who were intending to teach in the town of 8---- were to meet at the heutee of the Rev. Mr. Parks, then and there to bequestion- ed of what they knew and what they didn't know. Thin last referred to "me," for now that, the dreederl day had tame --1 felt that. e'•Wl'jr idea had suddenly left me, while, to increase my embarrassment, I wan further in- formed that an there howl the year previous been some trouble among the School Innpeetnrt, each of whom fancied that the other did not take his share of the work, the town had this year thought to obviate the diffi- culty by electing "nine!" "One" was bad enough, but at the thought of nine men in apectsclea my heart sank within me, and it was aome time ere i could be persunde.l to make the trial. In the midst of our trouble, Aunt Sally, whore clothes nn Monday mornings were always swinging nn the line before light, and whu tie illy epent the afternoon of that, day in visiting, came in, and after learning what wax the cause of ' . 1aAst , ...COLE Cjjp�O QUININE COLDS et !,A GRIPPE Cures colds and breaks up the fever in 24 hours. If you "feel yourself taking cold", get a box at y*w4e-dsaI..iia. or send d.re,.t if your dealer does not ssp them, COLEMAN MEDICINE CO, TORONTO. 2 inv flushed cheeks said, by way of comforting me, that "she didn't won- der an atomi( I • }el /streaked fur ',want no wayi likely I'd pass!" This rouaed-my pr •, and with the • mental comment th t "I'd pass for {all her," I got n'• -e11 in readiness, TuiicVTenaing me Ler green veli, and-. Anna her fine pocket handkerchief, while another's soft' warn shawl was wrapped Imringly ,shout Inc. and Liz- zie slipped into my pocket the Multi- plication Table, which she thought 1 might manage to look at slily -in case of an emergency. On our way father commenced the examination by ask- ing me the length of the Mississippi, but I didn't knoll' rte if had- a length, and in despair he gave up --his ques- tioning. Oh, how sombre and dreary,.seemed • rthw tittle partor into which we were ushered by the servant, who, on ►earn- ing our business, .looked rather doubt- fully at me, as much as to sae" "'You surely can't be one of them In a short time thle parlor was tilled, the entire "nine" being there. Not one vine absent, and in a .tow dirertly opposite, they sat. some tipped back in a lounging attitude, some cutting it flatter on 115_.. suith. • knives, while ntherr-mit •up p111 'onwl stern, the whole pre,.•rttint a most formidable appearance. There were eight or ten candidate a present, and unfortunately fee me, 4 +vas -,seated -- at what I called the foot of the class. it seeped that the. most of them were acquainted. and as I was almost the only stranger present.. it was .lot nat- ural that ' they should look at me rather more, than I liked. My pen- tale4i evidently attracted their atten- tion, but by Clint of drawing 01) my feet and pushing down my dress I hoped to hide my short -coming».. When, at last, the examination com- menced. I fbund, to my great delight, that Geography was the subject in- troduced, and my heart beat high. for 1 thought of the 'pages I could repeat and; ardently Tonged for a chance to display! Unfortunately for me they merely questioned us from the map, and breathlessly J awaited my turn. At length the young Indy who sat next to me was sulked "What two rivers. unite and form the Ohio?" I looked at her sidewise. The bloom deepened.- on her cheek, and i was sure she had forgotten: Involuntarily I felt' tempted to tall her, but did not, and Mr. Parks, looking' inquir- ingly at Inc. said, "Perhaps the next He .aught Right of my offending Pantalets, and tbirnkir, nn+ some child The Signal's `Clubbing List for 1909. The Signal and Toronto Weekly Globe . $1 60_1.. . The Signal and Toronto Daily Globe , • . 4' 50 The Signal and Montreal Family. Herald and Weekly Star . . , , , . . 1 ;g The Signal and Weekly Sun (Toronto) . . I 75' The Signal and. Toronto Daily Star . . . 2 30 The Signal and Toronto Daily World . • . . 3 50 The Signal and Toronto Daily News . . . 2 35 he Signal -and- Toronto --Weekly Malt and Empire • • • .. Z.11SIQ 1_ e SignaT anTrarmer's Advocate . 2 35 We recommend our reader+ to suhsrlibe to The P'artner's Advocate and Home Mxgarine, the best '.&rkcnitura and home Doper 1n America. The Signal and Winnipeg. 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