[From _Lena Rivers_ (New York, 1856)]
And now Mr. Everett was daily expected. Anna, who had no fondness for
books, greatly dreaded his arrival, thinking within herself how many
pranks she'd play off upon him, provided 'Lena would lend a helping
hand, which she much doubted. John Jr., too, who for a time, at least,
was to be placed under Mr. Everett's instruction, felt in no wise
eager for his arrival, fearing, as he told 'Lena that "between the
'old man' and the tutor, he would be kept a little too straight for a
gentleman of his habits;" and it was with no particular emotions of
pleasure that he and Anna saw the stage stop before the gate one
pleasant morning toward the middle of November. Running to one of the
front windows, Carrie, 'Lena, and Anna watched their new teacher, each
after her own fashion commenting upon his appearance.
"Ugh," exclaimed Anna, "what a green, boyish looking thing! I reckon
nobody's going to be afraid of him."
"I say he's real handsome," said Carrie, who being thirteen years of
age, had already, in her own mind, practiced many a little coquetry
upon the stranger.
"I like him," was 'Lena's brief remark.
Mr. Everett was a pale, intellectual looking man, scarcely twenty
years of age, and appearing still younger so that Anna was not wholly
wrong when she called him boyish. Still there was in his large black
eye a firmness and decision which bespoke the man strong within him,
and which put to flight all of Anna's preconceived notions of
rebellion. With the utmost composure he returned Mrs. Livingstone's
greeting, and the proud lady half bit her lip with vexation as she saw
how little he seemed awed by her presence.
Malcolm Everett was not one to acknowledge superiority where there was
none, and though ever polite toward Mrs. Livingstone, there was
something in his manner which forbade her treating him as aught save
an equal. He was not to be trampled down, and for once in her life
Mrs. Livingstone had found a person who would neither cringe to her
nor flatter. The children were not presented to him until dinner time,
when, with the air of a young desperado, John Jr. marched into the
dining-room, eyeing his teacher askance, calculating his strength, and
returning his greeting with a simple nod. Mr. Everett scanned him from
head to foot, and then turned to Carrie half smiling at the great
dignity which she assumed. With Lena and Anna he seemed better
pleased, holding their hands and smiling down upon them through rows
of teeth which Anna pronounced the whitest she had ever seen.
Mr. Livingstone was not at home, and when his mother appeared, Mrs.
Livingstone did not think proper to introduce her. But if by this
omission she thought to keep the old lady silent, she was mistaken,
for the moment Mrs. Nichols was seated, she commenced with, "Your name
is Everett, I b'lieve?"
"Yes, ma'am," said he, bowing very gracefully toward her.
"Any kin to the governor what was?"
"No, ma'am, none whatever," and the white teeth became slightly
visible for a moment, but soon disappeared.
"You are from Rockford, 'Lena tells me?"
"Yes, ma'am. Have you friends there?"
"Yes--or that is, Nancy Scovandyke's sister, Betsy Scovandyke that
used to be, lives there. Maybe you know her. Her name is Bacon--Betsy
Bacon. She's a widder and keeps boarders."
"Ah," said he, the teeth this time becoming wholly visible, "I've
heard of Mrs. Bacon, but have not the honor of her acquaintance. You
are from the east, I perceive."
"Law, now! how did you know that?" asked Mrs. Nichols, while Mr.
Everett answered, "I _guessed_ at it," with a peculiar emphasis on the
word guessed, which led 'Lena to think he had used it purposely and
not from habit.
Mr. Everett possessed in a remarkable degree the faculty of making
those around him both respect and like him, and ere six weeks had
passed, he had won the love of all his pupils. Even John Jr. was
greatly improved, and Carrie seemed suddenly reawakened into a thirst
for knowledge, deeming no task too long, and no amount of study too
hard, if it won the commendation of the teacher. 'Lena, who committed
to memory with great ease, and who consequently did not deserve so
much credit for her always perfect lessons, seldom received a word of
praise, while poor Anna, notoriously lazy when books were concerned,
cried almost every day, because as she said, "Mr. Everett didn't like
her as he did the rest, else why did he look at her so much, watching
her all the while, and keeping her after school to get her lessons
over, when he knew how she hated them."
Once Mrs. Livingstone ventured to remonstrate, telling him that Anna
was very sensitive, and required altogether different treatment from
Carrie. "She thinks you dislike her," said she, "and while she retains
this impression, she will do nothing as far as learning is concerned;
so if you do not like her, try and make her think you do!"
There was a peculiar look in Mr. Everett's dark eyes as he answered,
"You may think it strange, Mrs. Livingstone, but of all my pupils I
love Anna the best! I know I find more fault with her, and am,
perhaps, more severe with her than with the rest, but it's because I
would make her what I wish her to be. Pardon me, madam, but Anna does
not possess the same amount of intellect with her cousin or sister,
but by proper culture she will make a fine, intelligent woman."
Mrs. Livingstone hardly relished being told that one child was inferior
to the other, but she could not well help herself--Mr. Everett would say
what he pleased--and thus the conference ended. From that time Mr.
Everett was exceedingly kind to Anna, wiping away the tears which
invariably came when told that she must stay with him in the schoolroom
after the rest were gone; then, instead of seating himself in rigid
silence at a distance until her task was learned, he would sit by her
side, occasionally smoothing her long curls and speaking encouragingly
to her as she poured over some hard rule of grammar, or puzzled her
brains with some difficult problem in Colburn. Ere long the result of
all this became manifest. Anna grew fonder of her books, more ready to
learn, and--more willing to be kept after school!
Ah, little did Mrs. Livingstone think what she was doing when she bade
young Malcolm Everett make her warm-hearted, impulsive daughter
_think_ he liked her!