The Doctor

ule. Even the smallest child was sensible of the fascination of her smile, which seemed to emanate from every feature of her face, so much so that little Ruby Ross

She had a method unique, but undoubtedly effective, based upon two fundamental principles: regard for public opinion, and hope of reward. The daily tasks were prepared and rendered as if in the presence of the great if somewhat vague publi

s a typical Down Easterner, by name Jabez Young or, as he was more commonly known, "Maine Jabe," for his f

dn't care

of her mistake, she

, what do you

before this direct personal appeal.

lodged itself under Link's red thatch of hair and a new motive stirred in his shrewd little soul. He

s. The day would surely come when before the eyes of the public they

. To sing with the teacher was a joy, but to hear the teacher sing to the accompaniment of her guitar was the supreme of bliss. It was not only an hour of pleasure to the pupils, but an hour of training as well. She initiated them into the mysteries of deep breathing, chest tones, phrasing, and expression, and such was their absorbing interest in and devotion to thi

ddenly arrested and rendered incapable of movement till the song was done. In amazed excitement he

the school up yonder? Say! I couldn't g

atter, Mr

h know there'll be a string-a-teams from here to the next

e school, Mr. Young?" inquired

t she was 'lowed to be the dangdest singer in all them parts. But, Gol dang my cats to cinders! she ain't any mo

you won't mind paying a little extra school rate n

up my lost time to the trustees! But danged if I

with an adverse balance knew no hour of song. Woe to the boy who, dead to all other motives of good conduct, persisted in robbing the school of its hour of delight. In the case of Ab Maddock, big, impudent, and pachydermous, it took Dugald Robertson, the minister's son, just half an hour's hard fighting to extract a promise of good behaviour. Dugald was in the main a thoughtful, peaceable boy, the most advanced pupil in the entrance class, and a great mathematician. At first he was inclined to despise the teacher, setting little store by her beautiful face and fascinating smile, for on the ve

memory tasks and became instinct with life. The whole school would stay its ordinary work to listen while the teacher told tales of the brave days of old to the history class, or transformed the geography lessons into excursions among people of strange tongues dwelling in far lands. But it was in the reading lessons that her artistic talents had full play. The mere pronouncing and spelling of words were but incidents

and pupils alike. "Oh, this will never do! They must not see this!" she would cry, rubbing out with infinite care and pai

en the day for the closing exercises came around both teacher and pupils had become so thoroughly familiar with the path and so accustomed to the visi

his mother appeared, Dick because his mother insisted that a student should show interest in the school, his mother because Dick refused to go a step without her. Barney came later, not because of his interest in the school, but chiefly, he dec

g the figure upon the board with the letters designating the isosceles triangle he made the fatal blunder of setting the letter B at the right hand side of the base instead of at its proper place at the left, as in the book. The result was that the unhappy Phoebe, ignoring the figure upon the board and depending entirely upon her memory, soon plunged both the minister and herself into confusion hopeless and complete. But the quick eye of the teacher had detected the difficulty, and, going to the board, she erased the unfamiliar figure, saying, as she did so, in her gentle appealing voice, "Wait, Phoebe. You are quite confused, I know. We shall wipe the board clean and begin all over." Sh

had such reading been heard in that or in any other common school. The familiar sing-song monotony of the reading lesson was

, the triumph of the day was complete. A single hymn, two or three kindergarten action songs, hitherto unheard in that community, a rollicking negro chorus; and, at the last, "for the children and the mothers," the teacher said, one soft lullaby in which for the first time the teacher's voice was heard, the low, vibrant tones filling the room with music such as in all their lives they had

ked home with the m

has she done to those little blocks? W

e minister, "it is qui

there was some thin skating the

e became confused. But she

ight laugh. "That was a clever bit

Dick!" said

"no one expects mathemat

d his mother indignantly, "and Margar

ting and singing were good. Even little Link Young was quite dramatic. They say that 'Ma

said his mother. "It is a

you are too ha

eplied, grimly c

l it is a great matter that the children should be taught to read and recite well. And it was no wonder that the poor thing would seek to make it easy for the little girl. And Margaret will need to take Dugald

the school rate. It was, perhaps, not the most diplomatic moment they chose for the securing of the teacher's services for another year. It might be that they were moved to immediate action by the apparent willingness on her part to leave the matter of re-engagem