THE SCHOOLMISTRESS.
Of the many thousand individuals destined to become the purchasers of
a copy of this work, a majority have undoubtedly been, or are still
teachers, and of these many will 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. Almost from my
earliest remembrance it had been the one great subject which
engrossed my thoughts, and frequently, when strolling down the shady
hillside which led to our schoolhouse, have I fancied myself the
teacher, thinking that if such were really the case, my first act
should be the chastisement of half a score or more boys, who were in
the daily habit of annoying me in various ways. Every word and
action of my teacher, too, was carefully noted and laid away against
the time when I should need them, and which came much sooner than I
anticipated; for one rainy morning when Lizzie and I were playing in
the garret, I overheard my father saying there was a chance for Rosa
to teach school.
"What, that child!" was my mother's exclamation, but ere he could
reply, "the child" had bounded down two pair of stairs, and stood at
his elbow, asking, "Who is it?--Where is it?--And do you suppose I
can get a certificate?"
This last idea damped my ardor somewhat, for horrible visions came up
before me, of the "Abbreviations" and "Sounds of the Vowels," in both
of which I was rather deficient.
"_You_ teach school! You look like it!" said my sister Juliet.
"Why, in less than three days you'd be _teetering_ with the girls, if
indeed you didn't climb trees with the boys."
This _climbing_ was undeniably a failing of mine, there being
scarcely a tree on the farm on whose topmost limbs I hadn't at some
time or other been perched; but I was _older_ now. I was _thirteen_
two days before, and so I reminded Juliet, at the same time begging
of father to tell me all about it. It appeared that he had that day
met with a Mr. Randall, the trustee of Pine District, who was in
quest of a teacher. After learning that the school was small, father
ventured to propose me, who, he said, "was crazy to keep school."
"A dollar a week is the most we can give her," returned Mr. Randall,
"and if you'll take up with that, mebby we'll try her. New beginners
sometimes do the best."
So it was arranged that I was to teach fifteen weeks for four dollars
per month and board round at that! Boarding round! How many
reminiscences do these two words recall to those who, like myself,
have tried it, and who know that it has a variety of significations.
That sometimes it is only another name for sleeping with every child
in the family where your home for one week may chance to be--for how
can you be insensible to the oft-repeated whisper, "_I_ shall sleep
with her to-night--ma said I might;" and of "ma's" audible answer,
"Perhaps, _sis_, she don't want you to."
If "sis" is a clean, chubby-looking little creature, you _do_ want
her; but if, as it not unfrequently happens, she is just the
opposite,----I draw a blank which almost every country teacher in the
land can fill, merely saying that there is no alternative. We have
got the district to please and we must do it some way or other.
Again, "boarding round" means a quiet, cozy spot, where everything is
so pleasant and cheerful, where the words are so 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 time of your allotted 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 which some spiteful woman
has said "you devote more time than to your school," and putting them
in your satchel, depart for another home, sometimes as pleasant as
the one you are leaving, sometimes not.
But of these annoyances I knew nothing, and when Mr. Randall came to
see me, calling me _Miss Lee_, and when I was really engaged, my
happiness was complete. In a country neighborhood every item of
news, however slight, spreads rapidly, and the fact that I was to
teach soon became generally known, creating quite a sensation, and
operating differently upon different natures. One old gentleman,
who, times innumerable, had held me on his knee, feeding my vanity
with flattery, and my stomach with sweetmeats, was quite as much
delighted as I, declaring, "he always knew I was destined to make
something great."
Dear old man! When the snows of 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 fulfil his prophesy.
Aunt Sally Wright, who, besides managing her own affairs, kept an eye
on her neighbors', and who looked upon me as a "pert, forward piece,"
gave her opinion freely. "What! That young one keep school! Is
Deacon Lee crazy? Ain't Rose stuck up enough now? But never mind.
You'll see she won't keep out more'n half her time, if she does that."
Aunt Sally was gifted with the power of telling fortunes by means of
tea-grounds, and I have always fancied she read that prediction in
the bottom of her big blue cup, for how could she otherwise have
known what actually happened! Ere long the news cached Pine
District, creating quite an excitement, the older people declaring
"_they'd_ never send to a little girl," while the juvenile portion of
the inhabitants gave a contemptuous whistle or so 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
incredulous until she one day chanced to meet with Aunt Sally, who
not only confirmed it, but also kindly gave her many little items
touching my character as a "wild, romping minx, who was no more
qualified for a teacher than for the Queen of England," citing as a
proof of what she said, that only the year before she had seen me
"trying to ride on a cow."
Mrs. Capt. Thompson, who was blessed with an overwhelming sense of
propriety, was greatly shocked, saying "she'd always thought Mr.
Randall knew just enough to hire a child," and consoling herself with
the remark that "it was not at all probable I'd get a certificate."
On this point I was myself 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_ were unbiased in my favor, and had probably
never heard of me, as they lived in an adjoining town. But "where
there's a will there's a way," and determining not to fail, I
ransacked the cupboard, where our school-books were kept, bringing
thence Olney's Geography, Colburn's Arithmetic, History of the United
States, Grammars, etc., all of which were for days my constant
companions, and I even slept with one or more of them under my
pillow, so 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 satisfaction at least, and I was just
beginning to feel strong in my own abilities when one Monday morning
news was brought us that at three o'clock that afternoon all who were
intending to teach in the town of S---- were to meet at the house of
the Rev. Mr. Parks, then and there to be questioned of what they knew
and what they didn't know. This last referred to me, for now that
the dreaded day had come, I felt that every idea had suddenly left
me, while, to increase my embarrassment, I was further informed that
as there had the year previous been some trouble among the School
Inspectors, each of whom fancied that the other did not take his
share of the work, the town had this year thought to obviate the
difficulty by electing nine!
One was bad enough, but at the thought of nine men in spectacles my
heart sank within me, and it was some time ere I could be persuaded
to make the trial. In the midst of our trouble, Aunt Sally, whose
clothes on Monday mornings were always swinging on the line before
light, and who usually spent the afternoon of that day in visiting,
came in, and after learning what was the cause of my flushed cheeks,
said, by way of comforting me, that "she didn't wonder an atom if I
felt streaked, for 'twant no ways likely I'd pass!"
This roused my pride, and with the mental comment that "I'd _pass_
for all her," I got myself in readiness, Juliet lending me her green
veil, and Anna her fine pocket-handkerchief, while mother's soft warm
shawl was wrapped lovingly about me, and Lizzie slipped into my
pocket the _Multiplication Table_, which she thought I might manage
to look at slily in case of an emergency. On our way father
commenced the examination by asking me the length of the Mississippi,
but I didn't know as it had a length, and in despair he gave up his
questioning.
Oh, how somber and dreary seemed the little parlor into which we were
ushered by the servant, who, on learning our business, looked rather
doubtfully at me, as much as to say, "_You_ surely can't be one of
them?" In a short time the parlor was filled, the entire _nine_
being there. Not one was absent, and in a row directly opposite,
they sat, some tipped back in a lounging attitude, some cutting their
finger nails with their penknives, while others sat up stiff and
stern, the whole presenting a most formidable appearance. There were
eight or ten candidates present, and unfortunately for me, I was
seated at what I called the foot of the class. It seemed that the
most of them were acquainted, and as I was almost the only stranger
present, it was but natural that they should look at me rather more
than I liked. My pantalets evidently attracted their attention, but
by dint of drawing up my feet and pushing down my dress I hoped to
hide my _short_-comings.
When, at last, the examination commenced, I found, to my great
delight, that Geography was the subject introduced, and my heart beat
high, for I thought of the pages I could repeat and ardently longed
for a chance to display! Unfortunately for me they merely questioned
us from the map, and breathlessly I awaited my turn. At length the
young lady who sat next to me was asked "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 tell her, but did not, and Mr. Parks, looking inquiringly
at me, said, "Perhaps the next one can. Ahem!"
He caught sight of my offending pantalets, and thinking me some child
who had come with her sister, was about to pass me by. But I was not
to be slighted in that way, particularly when I knew the answer; so,
with the air of one who, always at the foot, accidentally spells a
word right and starts for the head, I spoke out loud and distinctly
"Alleghany and Monongahela," glancing at my father just in time to
catch a nod of encouragement.
"The Nine" were taken by surprise, and instantly three pair of eyes
with glasses and six pair without glasses were brought to bear upon
me. For reasons best known to themselves, they asked me a great
variety of questions, all of which I answered correctly, I believe;
at least they made no comment, and were evidently vastly amused with
their new specimen, asking me how old I was, and exchanging smiles at
my reply, "Thirteen, four weeks ago to-day." One of my
fellow-teachers, who sat near me, whispered to her next neighbor,
"She's older than that, I know;" for which remark I've never quite
forgiven her. Arithmetic was the last branch introduced, and as
mathematics was rather my forte, I had now no fears of failing--but I
did! A question in Decimals puzzled me, and coloring to my temples,
I replied "I don't know," while two undeniable tears dropped into my
lap.
"Never mind, sis," said one of the nine. "You know most everything
else, and have done bravely."
I was as sure of my certificate then as I was fifteen minutes
afterwards, when a little slip of paper was given me, declaring me
competent to teach a common school. I thought it was all over, and
was adjusting mother's shawl and tying on Juliet's veil, when they
asked me to write something that they might see a specimen of my
penmanship. Taking the pen, I dashed off with a flourish "Rosa Lee,"
at which I thought they peered more curiously than need be--and one
of them, Dr. Clayton, a young man, and a handsome one, too, said
something about its being "very poetical." He hadn't seen the _negro
song_ then.
The shadows of evening had long since fallen when we stopped at our
door, where we found mother anxiously waiting for us. Very wistfully
she looked in my face ere she asked the important question.
"Yes, I've got one," said I, bounding from the buggy, "and I'd like
to be examined every day, it's such fun."
"Didn't you miss a word?" asked Juliet.
"Oh, I'm so glad!" cried Lizzie.
"Feel _big_, don't you?" suggested Charlie, while Anna inquired "if
I'd lost her pocket-handkerchief!"