第2章

BensurveyedMissFrost,whomhesawforthefirsttime,withapproval,notunmingledwithsurprise.Shewasnottheaveragetypeofteacher.Benratherexpectedtomeetanelderlyfemale,tallandwillowyinform,andwearinglongringlets.SuchhadbeenMissJerushaColebrook,whohadwieldedtheferuletheyearbefore.

"Areyoutheschoolteacher?"askedBendubiously,astheyleftthehotel.

Mabelsmiled."Isuppose,"saidshe,"thatdependsonwhetherIpasstheexamination."

"I

guessyou"llpass,"saidBen.

"Whatmakesyouthinkso?"askedMabel,amused.

"Youlookasifyouknowalot,"answeredBenbluntly.

"I

hopeappearanceswon"tprovedeceptive,"saidMabel."Areyoutobeoneofmyscholars?"

"Yes,"repliedBen"Youlookbrightandquick."

"DoI?"saidBen."Youcan"talwaystellbylooks,"headded,parodyingherownwords.

"Don"tyouliketostudy?"Mabelinquired.

"Well,Idon"thankerafterit.Thefactis,"saidBeninaburstofconfidence,"I"maprettyhardcase."

"Yousaysobecauseyouaremodest."

"No,Idon"t;thelastteachersaidso.Why,shecouldn"tdonothingwithme."

"Youbegintoalarmme,"saidMabel."Aretheremanyhardcasesamongthescholars?"

"I"mabouttheworst,"saidBencandidly.

"I"mgladtohearthat."

"Why?"askedBen,puzzled.

"Because,"

saidMabel,"Idon"texpecttohaveanytroublewithyou."

"Youdon"t?"saidBen,surprised.

"No,Ilikeyourface.Youmaybemischievous,butIamsureyouarenotbad."

Benwasratherpleasedwiththecompliment.Boyashewas,hewasnotinsensibletothegraceandbeautyofthenewteacher,andhefeltathrillofpleasureatwordswhichwouldscarcelyhaveaffectedhimiftheyhadproceededfromJerushaColebrook.

"Doyoufeelinterestedinstudy?"Mabelcontinued.

"Notmuch,"Benadmitted.

"Youdon"twanttogrowupignorant,doyou?"

"OfcourseIwanttoknowsomething,"saidBen.

"IfyouimproveyourtimeyoumaysometimebechairmanoftheSchoolCommittee,likeyourfather."

Benchuckled."Thatdon"ttakemuchlarnin","hesaid.

"Doesn"tit?Ishouldthinkitwouldrequireagoodscholar."

Benlaughedagain."Perhapsyouthinkmyfatherknowsagooddeal?"hesaidinterrogatively.

Benseemedonthebrinkofadangerousconfidence,andMabelfeltembarrassed.

"Certainly,"saidshe.

"Hedon"t,"saidBen."Don"tyouevertell,andI"lltellyousomething.Hegottheministertowriteoutthequestionsheaskstheteachers."

"I

supposetheministerwasmoreusedtoit,"saidMabel,feelingobligedtoproffersomeexplanation.

"Thatain"tit,"saidBen."Dadneverwenttoschoolafterhewastwelve.Icouldcipherhimoutofhisboots,andheain"tmuchonspelling,either.Theotherdayhespelledstraights-t-r-a-t-e."

"Youmustn"ttellmeallthis,"saidMabelgravely."Yourfatherwouldn"tlikeit."

"Youwon"ttellhim?"saidBenapprehensively,forheknewthathisfatherwouldresenttheseindiscreetrevelations.

"No,certainlynot.Whendoesschoolcommence,Ben?"

"Tomorrowmorning.Isay,MissFrost,Ihopeyou"llgiveagoodlongrecess."

"Howlonghaveyougenerallyhad?"

"Well,MissColebrookonlygaveusfiveminutes.Shewasaregularoldpoke,andgotalongsoslowthatshecutusshortonrecesstomakeitup."

"Howlongdoyouthinkyououghttohave?"askedMabel.

"Halfanhour"dbeaboutright,"saidBen.

"Don"tyouthinkanhourwouldbebetter?"askedMabel,smiling.

"Maybethatwouldbetoolong,"Benadmitted.

"SoIthink.OntheotherhandIconsiderfiveminutestooshort.Iwillconsultyourfatheraboutthat."

"Here"sourhouse,"saidBensuddenly."Dad"sinsidewaitingforyou."

SquireHadleyreceivedMabelwithanimpressiveairofofficialdignity.Hefelthisimportanceonsuchoccasions."Iamgladtoseeyou,MissFrost,"hesaid.

"Arethereanyotherteacherstobeexamined?"askedMabel,findingherselfalone.

"Theothershaveallbeenexamined.Weheldageneralexaminationaweekago.Youneednotfeelnervous,MissFrost.Ishallgiveyouplentyoftime."

"Youareveryconsiderate,SquireHadley,"saidMabel.

"I

willfirstexamineyouinarithmetic.Arithmetic,"heretheSquireclearedhisthroat,"is,asyouareaware,thescienceofnumbers.Weregarditasofprimary——yes,primaryimportance."

"Itiscertainlyveryimportant."

"I

will——ahem——askyouafewquestions,andthengiveyousomesumstocipherout.Whatisafraction,MissFrost?"

SquireHadleyleanedbackinhischair,andfixedhiseyesprudentlyonthatpageofthearithmeticwhichcontainedtheanswertothequestionhehadasked.Mabelansweredcorrectly.

"YouhavethecorrectideasaidtheSquirepatronizingly,"thoughyouain"tquitegotthephraseologyofthebook."

"Definitionsvaryindifferentarithmetics,"saidMabel.

"I

supposetheydo,"saidtheSquire,towhomthiswasnews.Tohimarithmeticwasarithmetic,andithadneveroccurredtohimthattherewasmorethanonewayofexpressingthesamething.

Slenderaswashisownstockofscholarship,SquireHadleyknewenoughtoperceive,beforegoingveryfarintothetextbook,thatthenewschoolteacherwaswellupinrudimentarymathematics.Whenhecametogeography,however,hemadeanawkwarddiscovery.Hehadlostthelistofquestionswhichtheministerhadpreparedforhim.Searchwasunavailing,andtheSquirewasflustered.

"I

havelostmylistofquestionsingeography,"hesaid,hesitatingly.

"Youmightthinkofafewquestionstoaskme,"suggestedMabel.

"SoIcan,"saidtheSquire,whofeltthathemustkeepupappearances."WhereisChina?"

"InAsia,"answeredMabel,ratherastonishedatthesimplecharacterofthequestion.

"Quiteright,"saidtheSquire,inatonewhichseemedtoindicatesurprisethathisquestionhadbeencorrectlyanswered."WhereistheLakeofGibraltar?"

"I

supposeyoumeantheStraitsofGibraltar?"

"Tobesure,"saidtheSquireratheruneasily."Iwas——ahem!

thinkingofanotherquestion."

Mabelansweredcorrectly.

"WhereistheRiverAmazon?"

"InSouthAmerica."

SquireHadleyhadanimpressionthattheAmazonwasnotinSouthAmerica,buthewastoouncertaintoquestionthecorrectnessofMabel"sanswer.

"WhereisthecityofNewYorksituated?"heasked.

Mabelanswered.

"Andnow,"saidtheSquire,withtheairofonewhowasaskingaposer,"canyoutellmewhereLakeErieislocated?"

Eventhisdidnotovertasktheknowledgeoftheapplicant.

"Whichisfarthernorth,NewYorkorBoston?"nextaskedtheeruditeSquire.

"Boston,"saidMabel.

"Verywell,"saidtheSquireapprovingly."Iseeyouarewellupingeography.Iamquitesatisfiedthatyouarecompetenttoteachourgrammarschool.Iwillwriteyouacertificateaccordingly."

ThistheSquiredid;andMabelfeltthatshewasonestepnearertheresponsibleofficewhichshehadelectedtofill.

"Schoolwillbegintomorrowatnine,"saidtheSquire."Iwillcallroundandgotoschoolwithyou,andintroduceyoutothescholars.I"llhavetoseeaboutaboardingplaceforyou."

"Thankyou,"saidMabel,"butIwon"ttroubleyoutodothat.I

willstayatthehotelforaweek,tillIamalittlebetteracquainted.DuringthattimeImayhearofsomeplacethatIshalllike."

SquireHadleywassurprisedatthisdisplayofindependence.

"I

apprehend,"heobjected,"thatyouwillfindthepriceatthehoteltoohighforyou.Weonlypaysevendollarsaweek,andyouwouldhavetopayallofthatforboard."

"Itwillbeforonlyoneweek,SquireHadley,"saidMabel,"andIshouldpreferit."

"Justasyousay,"saidtheSquire,notaltogethersatisfied.

"Youwillbethefirstteacherthateverboardedatthehotel.Youwouldn"thavetopaymore"nthreedollarsataprivatehouse."

"Ofcoursethatisaconsideration,"saidMabelguardedly.

AsshelefttheSquire"shouseandemergedintotheroadsheheardstepsbehindher.

Turning,shesawBenHadley.

"I

say,MissFrost,wasyouexaminedingeography?"heasked.

"Yes,Ben."

"Diddadaskyouquestionsoffapaper?"

"No;hecouldn"tfindthepaper."

I

thoughtso,"saidBengrinning.

"Doyouknowwhatbecameofit?"askedMabel,withsuddensuspicion.

"MaybeIdoandmaybeIdon"t,"answeredBen,noncommittally.

"Whatsortofquestionsdiddadaskyou?"

"Waittillschoolopens,"answeredMabel,smiling;"Iwillaskyousomeofthemthere."

"Didhereallyandtrulyexamineyouingeographyoutofhisownhead?"askedBen.

"Yes,Ben;hedidn"tevenopenabook."

"Goodfordad!"saidBen."Ididn"tthinkhecoulddoit."

"Itisquitepossiblethatyourfatherknowsmorethanyougivehimcreditfor,"saidMabel.

"Guesshemusthaverememberedsomeofthequestions,"thoughtBen.

InthecourseofthedaythelistofgeographicalquestionsfounditswaybacktoSquireHadley"sdesk.

"StrangeIoverlookedit,"hesaid.

PerhapsBenmighthavegivenhimsomeinformationonthesubject.

Chapter3

TheGranvilleschoolhousewasnotfarfromthecenterofthevillage.Itwaswhollywithoutarchitecturalornament.ThepeopleofGranville,itmustbeadmitted,wereseverelypractical,andwerenotwillingtospendadollarintheinterestofbeauty.

Theirmoneywastheresultofhardlabor,andfrugalitywasnottobewonderedat.Inacommercialcommunityarchitecturereceivesmoreattention.

Theschoolhousewastwostoriesinheight,andcontainedtwoschools.Theprimaryschool,forchildrenundereight,waskeptinthelowerroom.Thegrammarschool,formoreadvancedscholars,whichMabelFrosthadundertakentoteach,occupiedtheupperportionofthebuilding.

AsMabelapproachedtheschoolhouse,escortedbySquireHadley,shenoticed,afewrodsinadvance,atall,slenderwoman,withlongringletsfallingoverapairofnarrowshoulders.

"Thatladyisyourcolleague,MissFrost,"saidtheSquire.

"Mycolleague?"repeatedMabel,inatoneofinquiry.

"Yes;shekeepstheprimaryschool."

"Indeed!Thenthereisanotherschoolbesidesmine!"

"Tobesure.MissClarissaBassettteachestheyoungestchildren."

"Isshe——doesshelivehere?"

"Yes;shehastaughtthesameschoolforfifteenyears.Allyourscholarsbeganwithher."

"Thensheisn"taveryyounglady?"

"Clarissa,"repliedtheSquire,withthatfamiliaritywhichiscommoninsmallvillages,"mustbethirtyfive,thoughsheonlyownsuptotwentyfive,"addedhe,chuckling."Mightspilehermatrimonialprospectsifsheconfessedherrealage."

"Fifteenyearsateacher!"saidMabelenthusiastically."MissBassettoughttofeelproudofsuchatermofservice.Howmuchgoodshehasdone!"

"Well,Idunno,"saidSquireHadley,whosepracticalmindconceivedofnoothermotiveforteachingthantheemolumenttobederivedfromit.

"Clarissawantedtoteachthegrammarschool——thesamethatyou"reagoin"toteach;butwedidn"tthinkshewasqualifiedtoteachadvancedscholars."

"Andyoupreferredmebeforeateacheroffifteenyears"experience!"

saidMabel,withunaffectedhumility."Iamafraid,SquireHadley,youwillfindthatyouhavemadeamistake."

"YouareabetterscholarthanClarissa,MissFrost.Sheknowsenoughtoteachthelittleones,but——"

"Shehasfifteenyears"experience,andIhavenone,"interruptedMabel.

"Youwouldn"tbewillingtochangeschoolswithher?"suggestedtheSquire,withmildsatire.

"Yes,Iwould,"saidMabelpromptly.

"Shedon"tgetbutsixdollarsaweek——adollarlessthanyou."

"I

don"tcareforthat."

"Thedeestrictwouldn"tbesatisfied,"saidtheSquire,inadecidedtone.Mabelwasanenigmatohim."Theywouldn"tbewillingtohaveClarissateachtheolderpupils,"herepeated.

Bythistimetheyhadreachedtheschoolhouse.Sometwentypupilswereoutside,mostofthemMabel"sfuturescholars.MissBassetthadpausedintheentry,andawaitedthearrivalofSquireHadleyandherfellowteacher.Shehadathinface,andthatprimexpressionregardedasthetypicalcharacteristicofanoldmaid.Ithadbeenherlottoseethecompanionsofherearlydayssailoff,oneafteranother,onthematrimonialsea,whileshehadbeenleftneglectedontheshore.

Shehadevenseensomeofherpupils——merechits,asshecalledthem——

marry,whiletheirteacher,withallherexperienceoflife,wasunappropriated.

"MissFrost,"saidSquireHadley,withawaveofhishandtowardClarissa,"letmemakeyouacquaintedwithMissBassett,whohaskeptourprimaryschoolforfifteenyearswithgeneralacceptanceandsuccess."

"Yououghttoberegardedasapublicbenefactor,MissBassett,"saidMabelcordially.

"I

wasveryyoungwhenIcommencedteaching,"saidMissBassett,ratheruneasyattheallusiontohertermofservice.

"I

amabeginner,"saidMabel.Ishallbegladtohaveanexperiencedteachersoneartome,towhomIcanreferincasesofdifficulty."

Clarissa,whohadbeenprejudicedagainstMabel,because,althoughsomuchyounger,shehadbeenplacedovertheother"shead,wasflatteredbythisacknowledgmentofinferiority.

"I

shallbeverygladtogiveyouanyhelpinmypower,MissFrost,"shesaid."Youwillexcusemenow;Imustgoinandlookaftermyyoungpupils."

MissFrostfollowedSquireHadleyupstairstothesceneofherfuturelabors.

Theroomitselfwasanaveragecountryschoolroom.Ithadaccommodationsforaboutfiftyscholars.Thedesks,ontheboys"side,werecoveredwithinkspotsofallshapesandsizes,andfurtherdecoratedwithanextensiveseriesofjackknifecarvings.Mabel"sneatnesswasratheroffendedbythesethings,whichshetookininherfirstgeneralsurvey.Itwasnotmuchlikeanyschoolthatshehadeverattended;butaprivateacademyforgirlsdiffersessentiallyfromacountryschoolroomforbothsexes.

"I

seemostofthescholarsarehere,"saidSquireHadley.

Mabellookedaroundtheroom.Betweenfortyandfiftyscholars,varyinginagefromeighttosixteen,wereseatedatthedesks.Atherentrance,theyhadtakenseatspreviouslyselected.Forthemostpartshelikedtheirappearance.

Severallookedmischievous,buteventheywerebrighteyedandgoodnatured.

Alleyeswerefixeduponher.Shefeltthatshewasbeingcriticallyweighedinthebalancebythesecountryboysandgirls.

"I

wonderwhataretheirimpressionsofme,"shethought."Iwonderiftheysuspectmyinexperience!"

Thechildrendidnotpronouncejudgmentatonce.Theirfirstimpressionswerefavorable.Theyweresurprisedbythesightofsoattractiveateacher.Mabeldidnotlooklikeaschoolmistress——certainlynotlikeClarissaBassett.BenHadleyhadtoldhisfriendssomethingofher,andhadevenspokeninenthusiasticterms.

"She"sasprettyasapicture,"hehadtoldthem."Ibetshewon"tbeanoldmaid."

Theboys,inparticular,hadtheircuriosityexcitedtoseeherandjudgeforthemselves.NowthattheysawhertheyfullycoincidedwithBen"sopinion.TheywerestillregardingtheirnewteacherwhenSquireHadleybrokethesilence.

"Scholars,"hesaid,clearinghisthroat,andassumingtheattitudeofanorator,"Ihavegreatpleasureinintroducingtoyouyournewteacher,MissFrost.IhaveexaminedMissFrost,"heproceeded,inatoneofimportance,"andIfindthatsheisthoroughlycompetenttoleadyouintheflowerypathsoflearning."(ThiswasafigureonwhichtheSquireratherpridedhimself.)"Shecomestoushighlyrecommended,andIhavenodoubtyouwillalllikeher.Aschairmanofthecommittee,"(heretheSquire"sbreastexpandedwithofficialpride),"Ihavetriedtoobtainforyouteachersofthehighesttalent,withoutregardtoexpense."(HadtheSquireforgottenthatMabelwastoreceiveonlysevendollarsaweek?)"I

trust——thetowntrusts——thatyouwillappreciatewhatwearedoin"foryou.

Wewantyoutoattendtoyourstudies,andworkhardtosecuretheblessin"sofagoodeducation,whichisthebirthrightofeverycitizen.Iwillnowleaveyouinchargeofyourteacher,andIhopeyouwillstudytopleaseher."

TheSquiresatdown,anddrawinganampleredhandkerchieffromhispocketwipedhisbrowwithsomecomplacency.Hefeltthathisspeechwasasuccess.Hehadnotstumbled,ashesometimesdid.Hefeltthathehaddonecredittohisposition.

"NowImustgodowntoMissBassett"sschool,"headded,risingtogo."Imustsayafewwordstoherscholars.MissFrost,Iwishyousuccessinyour——ahem!——veryresponsibletask."

"Thankyou,sir."

TheampleformoftheSquirevanishedthroughtheclosingdoor,andMabelwasleftfacetofacewithhernewresponsibilities.Foramomentshewasnervous.Sheknewlittleoftheroutineofacountryschool,andfeltlikeacivilianwhowithoutaparticleofmilitarytrainingfindshimselfsuddenlyincommandofaregiment.

"I

wonderwhatIoughttodofirst,"shethought,insomeperplexity.ShewouldhaveconsultedSquireHadleyonthispointhadshenothesitatedtorevealherutterlackofexperience.

WhileglancingabouttheroominanundecidedwayshedetectedBenHadleyslylypreparingtoinsertapinintotheanatomyoftheboynexthim.Thisgaveheranidea.

"BenHadley,pleasecometothedesk,"shesaidquietly.

Benstartedguiltily.Hedecidedthattheschoolteacherhadseenhim,andwasabouttocallhimtoaccount.Hisfaceworeahalfdefiantlookashemarcheduptothedesk,theobservedofallobservers.Allthescholarswereonthequivivetolearnthepolicyofthenewadministration.Thissummonsseemedratheraboldmove,forBenwasgenerallyregardedastheheadoftheopposition.Notfrommalice,butfromroguery,hegavesuccessiveteachersmoretroublethananyotherscholar.Hadthenewschoolmistressfoundthisout,andwassheabouttoarraigntherebelasherfirstactofpower?SuchwasBen"ssuspicion,as,withhisheaderect,hemarcheduptotheteacher"sdesk.

TohissurpriseMissFrostmethimwithafriendlysmile.

"Ben,"saidshepleasantly,"youareoneoftheoldestscholars,andtheonlyonewhomIknow.Areyouwillingtohelpmeorganizetheschool?"

Benwas,astonished.Thatsuchaproposalshouldbemadetohim,thearchrebel,wasmostunexpected.

"Guessshedon"tknowme,"hethought.Butyethefeltflattered;

evidentlyhewasapersonofsomeconsequenceintheeyesofthenewteacher.

"I"llhelpyouallIcan,MissFrost,"hesaidheartily.

"Thankyou,Ben,Ifeltsureyouwould,"saidMabel,withquietconfidence."Isupposethefirstthingwillbetotakethenamesofthescholars."

"Yes,MissFrost;andthenyousort"emintoclasses."

"Tobesure.Howmanyclassesaretheregenerally?"

"Well,therearethreeclassesinreading,andtwoinarithmetic,andtwoingeography."

"ThatisjusttheinformationIwant.Now,Ben,Iwillaskyoutogoaboutwithme,andtellmethenamesofthescholars."

Butbeforeenteringuponthisformality,Mabel,forthefirsttimeinherlife,madeaspeech.

"Scholars,"shesaid,"Iamastrangertoyou,butIhopeyouwillcometoregardmeasyourfriend.Iamheretohelpyouacquireaneducation.

Iamsureyouallwishtolearn.Thereisagreatsatisfactioninknowledge,anditwillhelpyou,bothboysandgirls,tobecomeusefulmenandwomen,andacquityourselvescreditablyinanypositionswhichyoumaybecalledupontofill.Iamnotsowellacquaintedwiththemethodofcarryingonacountrygrammarschoolasmostofmypredecessors,havingmyselfbeeneducatedinthecity.Ihave,therefore,askedBenHadleytoassistmeinorganizingtheschool,andpreparingforwork."

Thescholarsreceivedtheannouncementwithsurprise.ItpresentedBentotheminanovelcharacter.Theywaitedwithinteresttoseehowhewouldacquithimselfinhisnewoffice.

BenaccompaniedMissFrostfromdesktodesk,andgreatlyfacilitatedhertaskbyhissuggestions.Atlengththenamesofallthescholarsweretaken.

"NowImustarrangetheclasses,"saidMabel,withincreasedconfidence."Haveyouanyadvicetogive,Ben?"

"You"dbetteraskthefirstclasstocomeup,"suggestedheryoungassistant."Thenyou"llknowexactlywhobelongtoit."

"Thatwillbethebestplan,"saidMabel;andshefollowedhisadvice.

Benlefthersideandtookhisplaceintheclass.Hescannedtheclass,andthensaid:"MissFrost,there"soneboyherewhobelongsinthesecondclass."

AtthisrevelationaboystandingnextbutonetoBenshowedsignsofperturbation.

"Whoisit?"askedtheteacher.

"JohnCotton."

"Doyoubelongtothisclass,John?"

"I

oughtto;Iknowenough,"saidhesullenly.

"Todayyouwillobligemebytakingyourplaceinthesecondclass.InafewdaysIcandecidewhetheryouareabletogowiththisclass."

Johnretired,discontented,buthopeful.