Part 25 (2/2)

This chapter is about cements and rivets. It is also about the two little schoolmarms.

”Let us take Mrs. Vanderhoven's pitcher to town when we go to call on the judge with father,” said Amy. ”Perhaps it can be mended.”

”It may be mended, but I do not think it will hold water again.”

”There is a place,” said Amy, ”where a patient old German frau, with the tiniest little bits of rivets that you can hardly see, and the stickiest cement you ever did see, repairs broken china. Archie was going to sell the pitcher. His mother had said he might. A lady at the hotel had promised him five dollars for it as a specimen of some old pottery or other. Then he leaped that hedge, caught his foot, fell, and that was the end of that five dollars, which was to have gone for a new lexicon and I don't know what else.”

”It was a fortunate break for Archie. His leg will be as strong as ever, and we'll make fifty dollars by our show. I call such a disaster an angel in disguise.”

”Mrs. Vanderhoven cried over the pitcher, though. She said it had almost broken her heart to let Archie take it out of the house, and she felt it was a judgment on her for being willing to part with it.”

”Every one has some superst.i.tion, I think,” said Amy.

Judge Hastings, a tall, soldierly gentleman, with the bearing of a courtier, was delighted with the girls, and brought his three little women in their black frocks to see their new teachers.

”I warn you, young ladies,” he said, ”these are spoiled babies. But they will do anything for those they love, and they will surely love you. I wish them to be thoroughly taught, especially music and calisthenics.

Can you teach them the latter?”

He fixed his keen, blue eyes on Grace, who colored under the glance, but answered bravely:

”Yes, Judge, I can teach them physical culture and music, too, but I won't undertake teaching them to count or to spell.”

”I'll take charge of that part,” said Amy, fearlessly.

Grace's salary was fixed at one thousand dollars, Amy's at five hundred, a year, and Grace was to come to her pupils three hours a day for five days every week, Amy one hour a day for five days.

”We'll travel together,” said Amy, ”for I'll be at the League while you are pegging away at the teaching of these tots after my hour is over.”

If any girl fancies that Grace and Amy had made an easy bargain I recommend her to try the same tasks day in and day out for the weeks of a winter. She will discover that she earns her salary. Lucy, Helen and Madge taxed their young teachers' utmost powers, but they did them credit, and each month, as Grace was able to add comforts to her home, to lighten her father's burdens, to remove anxiety from her mother, she felt that she would willingly have worked harder.

The little pitcher was repaired so that you never would have known it had been broken. Mrs. Vanderhoven set it in the place of honor on top of her mantel shelf, and Archie, now able to hobble about, declared that he would treasure it for his children's children.

One morning a letter came for Grace. It was from the princ.i.p.al of a girls' school in a lovely village up the Hudson, a school attended by the daughters of statesmen and millionaires, but one, too, which had scholars.h.i.+ps for bright girls who desired culture, but whose parents had very little money. To attend Miss L----'s school some girls would have given more than they could put into words; it was a certificate of good standing in society to have been graduated there, while mothers prized and girls envied those who were students at Miss L----'s for the splendid times they were sure to have.

”Your dear mother,” Miss L---- wrote, ”will easily recall her old schoolmate and friend. I have heard of you, Grace, through my friend, Madame Necker, who was your instructress in Paris, and I have two objects in writing. One is to secure you as a teacher in reading for an advanced cla.s.s of mine. The cla.s.s would meet but once a week; your office would be to read to them, interpreting the best authors, and to influence them in the choice of books adapted for young girls.”

Grace held her breath. ”Mother!” she exclaimed, ”is Miss L---- in her right mind?”

”A very level-headed person, Grace. Read on.”

”I have also a vacant scholars.h.i.+p, and I will let you name a friend of yours to fill it. I would like a minister's daughter. Is there any dear little twelve-year-old girl who would like to come to my school, and whose parents would like to send her, but cannot afford so much expense?

Because, if there is such a child among your friends, I will give her a warm welcome. Jane Wainwright your honored mother, knows that I will be too happy thus to add a happiness to her lot in life.”

Mother and daughter looked into each other's eyes. One thought was in both.

”Laura Raeburn!” they exclaimed together.

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