CLOSE OF SCHOOL IN PINE DISTRICT.
Whether Dr. Clayton cared for me or not, he exerted his influence in my
behalf, plainly telling John Thompson that he ought to be ashamed to
annoy me as he did; and dropping a few hints to Mrs. Thompson, who now
tried to restrain her son; so that after the party, hostilities in that
quarter nearly ceased. But the ball was in motion, and could not well be
stopped; for what the Thompsons now lacked, the rest of the District
made up. It was the general impression, I believe, that the scholars had
learned nothing save a few pieces of poetry; and that I had done nothing
but whip, scold, and cry. To all these accusations I plead guilty; and
when Mr. Randall, one day, proposed to me to bring my labors to a close,
I replied that “nothing could please me better,” though there was a
tremor in my voice as I thought how the people of Meadow Brook would
laugh. Mr. Randall, probably, divined my thoughts, for he quickly
rejoined, “The weather is gettin’ so hot that the youngsters need a
vacation. Mebby, in the fall, when it is cooler, we shall have you
back.”
And so it was settled that school should close the next week on
Saturday, and that on Friday I should have an _examination_! This, to a
teacher in Western New York, may seem strange; but those who have taught
in that part of New England where I did, know that such a thing cannot
well be avoided. No matter how small the school, or how inefficient the
teacher may be, an examination must be held, or you at once lose
_caste_; the people unanimously declaring you to be ashamed of showing
how little your pupils have learned. In my case, I was rather anxious
than otherwise for an opportunity to show off; for I was sure my
scholars would acquit themselves creditably. I well knew they could
stand up and repeat “verses,” the multiplication table, the names of the
fourteen counties of Massachusetts, and tell who made them, and where
the sun rose, louder and faster than any other seventeen children in
town! I confidently expected all the parents and friends to be there,
and as my own wardrobe was rather scanty, I coaxed my sister Anna, who,
though several years my senior, was still not much taller than myself,
to let me wear her new black silk!
It was my first appearance in a long dress, and it troubled me greatly;
but by dint of holding it up, as ladies do now-adays, I succeeded in
getting to the schoolhouse, where I found my pupils arrayed in their
best; Ike Ross having in his shirt bosom the selfsame glass breastpin
which I had sported at Dell Thompson’s party. Not wishing the spectators
to lose any of the exercises, I sat in grim silence, awaiting their
arrival: but my waiting was all in vain; for, with the exception of Mrs.
Randall and Dr. Clayton, the latter of whom came in the capacity of
Inspector, not a single individual was present! Not a parent—not a
friend, nor a foe—and still, if the examination had not been held, those
who stayed away would have ridiculed me, and voted my school even a
worse failure than they did. So much for consistency. Parents, I think,
are not sufficiently aware of the great good their occasional presence
in the schoolroom will do, both to teacher and scholar; the latter of
whom will almost invariably study harder and strive to have better
lessons, if there is a prospect of their father or mother’s hearing them
recite; while the former, feeling that an interest is taken in them,
will also be incited to fresh efforts for the improvement of those
committed to their charge.
But not thus thought the people of Pine Hill. Satisfied that an
examination was going on, they stayed at home, expressing their surprise
when they heard that nobody was there, wondering what it meant, and
saying “folks ought to be ashamed for not going!” As if to make amends
for their neglect, Dr. Clayton, in his closing remarks, said some very
complimentary things concerning my school, which he bade the children
repeat to their parents; and such is human nature, that, when I had
received my _Eight Dollars_, and was gone, the District, in speaking of
me, said, “I wasn’t the _worst_ teacher, after all.”
About four o’clock, there came up a thunder shower, which caused both
Mrs. Randall and the scholars to hasten home. Dr. Clayton, on the
contrary, was in no hurry. “It was, perhaps, the last opportunity he
would have of seeing me,” he said, “and he meant to improve it.”
It was not very far to Meadow Brook I thought, and so I at last ventured
to say.
“I know that,” he replied; “but people might talk were I to call on you,
and I do not wish to do anything which will affect you unpleasantly.”
“I don’t care what folks say,” arose to my lips, but its utterance was
prevented by a flash of lightning and a thunder crash, which made me
shriek aloud, while I covered my face with my hands.
I shall not describe the way which Dr. Clayton took to calm my fright,
for all who have passed through a similar experience can imagine it; but
the remembrance of that thunder-storm lingered in my memory long after I
had forgotten the night when I sat with him in the soft moonlight
beneath the old oak tree. When the storm had ceased and the sun was
again shining on the tree-tops at the west, he left me, placing on my
hand at parting a little gold ring, on which was inscribed, simply,
“Rose.”
“It was the gift of friendship,” he said—“nothing more;” and he wished
me to wear it “for the sake of the few pleasant hours we had spent
together.”
I suppose it was wrong in me to accept it. I thought so then, but I
could not refuse it; and remembering the fate of the one sent by Herbert
Langley to Anna, I resolved upon keeping it a secret, and only wearing
it when I was alone. For a long time I sat in the deserted schoolroom,
while the damp air, which came through the open window, fell upon my
uncovered neck and arms, nor was I reminded of the lapse of time until
it began to grow dark around me; then hastily throwing on my things, I
started for Mr. Randall’s, wetting my feet, for I had no rubbers with
me. As the result of this, when I awoke next morning I was conscious of
a pain in my head, a soreness in my throat, and an aching of my back,
quite as unexpected as it was disagreeable. I had taken a violent cold,
and Mrs. Randall, when she saw how pale I was and how faint I appeared,
said I must not go to school. George, she said, would go and tell the
scholars, and I must stay there until my father came for me at night, as
had been arranged the week before. To this plan I finally yielded, and
all the day long I hovered over the fire, which, in the little
sitting-room, was kindled for my comfort.
At night, when my father came for me, I was almost too weak to stand
alone; but the excitement of riding imparted to me an artificial
strength, which wholly deserted me the moment I reached home, and for
many days I kept my bed, attended by _Dr. Clayton_, who accidently heard
of my illness, and who came daily to see me. Grandma, who was something
of a nurse, proposed several times that he be dismissed, saying he only
made me worse, for I was always more feverish and restless after one of
his visits! But the doctor, to whom she one day made the suggestion,
said he should not leave me until I was well, and when she asked him how
he accounted for my rapid pulse and flushed cheeks, whenever he was
present, he very gravely replied, that “possibly my _heart_ might be
_affected_—the symptoms seemed much like it,” adding, as he saw the look
of concern on grandma’s face, “but I think I can cure that, don’t you,
Rose?” turning to me, and taking my hand to see _how fast my pulse did
beat_!
After this, grandma made no further objections to his visits. “If Rose
had the heart disease, and he could cure it, he ought to do so!”
But, alas! for the heart disease, which feeds upon the smile of one who,
when sure that he holds it in his grasp, casts it from him, as children
do a long coveted toy, of which they have grown weary.