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V, lEXVILLE, ]Jeing a Full, True and Correct Account of what happened in. the said School Section during a Period of Twelve Month?, uTV more or less, and of some Things that were enacted ^ beyond its Limits, with a few of judicious Ke- V marks on * 'S > Religious Instruction in Public Schools ; !^ k^ THE MORALITY OF FRESH AIR, TEACHER'S "RECOMMENDS," AND BOGUS CERTIFICATES. BY AN OLD MAID, (Who was •'Plucked/') T PREFACE. M- The readers of this history will probably vary a good deal in their oi)inions about it. Some may feel disposed to think think that there is too mach bloodshed ! some that there is too much love, some that there is too little ; and some that taking it all tlirough the story ia too thrilling. The historian cannot avoid these things, that is, if ho is determined to tell the truth. Should there be any who find fault with the chronological arangemeiits, as they will probably discover plenty of room to i' when the proposal was made, for in truth she had never found one or two Sundays — or, for the matter of that, three or four of th«m out of church, do her much harm. Towards evening the teachtr found herself much calmer and better able to see things in a more reasonable light than she had done for the previous thirty-six hours, but ^he was still fully determined to teaoh the next day only, and to tell the scholars notto return until they had a new teacher. , This resolution she carried out by despatching Dick early on Monday morning with her resignation to the Trustees, ox- plaining that slio would cease to tukechargeof the school that afternoon, because having failed to secure a certificate she had not a legal standing as a teacher. Before noon the news had spread over most of the section, and was received in quite a variety of ways. "It was a pity," " S'pose it can't bo help- ed," "jNice girl, Miss Pollock," "Kind o' stuck up," *•' Guesa she'll have to get married," and, " What'U Dr. Eoso think of her now V Oh the whole, however, the parents were truly aorry to think of losing her services, and many of the pupils, that is, all the very little boys and some of the big girls took, a cry over it. ' • CHAPTER II. Let us see how the affair was regarded at the residence of Polly Ann Martin. This Polly Ann Martin had written for a certificate when Miss Pollock took one four y«ars before, but Polly Auu didn't succeed. Miss Pollock shortly afterwards took charge ot No. 7, hence the " feeling" >>etween these two young Jatlies. The name of Miss Poilocw s feeling was con- tempt — of Polly Ann's, spite. This spitefulness too, was shar- ed in as much by Mr. Philip Martin, and Mrs. Dorothy Mar- tin, as by their child of genius, Polly Ann. When Phil Martin, theroforo, returned at noon from a visit to Harden, a look of sinister [)leasure seemed to glisten in his little grey eyes, as he said to his wife " Well, 1 rather guess Hannah Pollock '11 feel took down a bit at not gittin' a certificate." " Lawk-a-daisy I You don't say so. Weill can't say I'm a bit sorry. Did she stick on the 'rethmetic V When Polly Ann failed, she " stuck on 'rethmetic " and Mrs. Martin had heard of others sticking in the same way, so that although she had no very clear idea as to the difference between " rethemetic " and " jography " or any other study, she knew it at all events by reputation, as a "sticker." ID a THE ADVENTURES OE NO. 7. 7 " Yo8, sbo stuok ou 'rotbmetic, so I hoord. Didn't git one lisht out of ten, an' her grammar wasn't worth a cent, Sam Cneckley's wife says ; an' she's goin' to Toronto to learn dresa- makin', for her step mother declares she needn't think to hang around home no more." As Phil Martin concluded this piece of gossip, Polly Ann bolted into the kitchen holding up a square looking sheet of paper, which she could scarcely find breath to say was hir cer- tificate, for she had tried every year since her first failure, and had it appeared, at last, been successful, for she was not devoid of ability. "Lawk-a-daisy I You don't say ho," exclaimed iMrs. Martin, " well, now, if my cup o' happiness ain't full. Did you lioar ]*olly Ann, that Hannah Pollock stuck on 'rethmetir^ this tinio 1 "Yes,"' said Polly Ann, *'Tom Horsfall told mt hoa ho gave me the letter at the front door a minute ago, but 1 1 uouldn't wonder though if she hasn't brass enough to get -^iiothpr 'per- mit' and teach along till next examination." Mr. Vh\\ Mart'U now went out to attend to his stable duties, in the midst oi vvfhich,he resolved tc call on Messrs Mj ravish, Turne- and Schuntz, the trustees, to s'le what ooui l be done in favor of Polly Ann's application for No. 7, for ho wiw deter- mined she should api)ly. At the dinner table ho announced his purpose to ^Ers Doro- thy and Polly Ann, both of whom were in full accord with him in his scheme. So too, were all the young Martins who went to school, Jeruahu, and liOvi, and Nancy, and Wesley, and Albert Edward. Levi gave Wesley a " dig in the ribs" and whisperf^d something, of which all that was audible sound- ed something like '* by jingo " and " highjinks." Early in the afternoon, Mr. Phil Martin, in his cutter, drove first to the residence of Mr. Archibald McTavish, who acted as Chairman and Secretary treasurer of No. 7 Eexvillo, Board of Public Trustees. McTavish was at home, and very busy amid the stalls of his " bank barn," attending to the wants of nearly half-a-scoro of cattle ho intended to dispose of at thencxt Har- den fair. " Good day, Mr. McTavish, them's a fine lot c' beasts you've got, you don't see so many head o' cattle like that every place you go.,' Mr. McTavish was a man of few words, and although his own opinion " anent " the stock was quite as i.igh as Phil Martin's was, or as Phil said it was, having no great notion of his neighbor, he simply half-grunted, " I suppose no." " I should think they'll bring from $50 to |60 apiece all round Mr. McTavish, don't you think so 1" ■IHiMHI «"' THE ADVENTURES OF NO. 7. Now, if there's an^^thing a Scotchman dislikes to discuscr with a neighbor, it is his profit and Iobs account. No true Scotchman has evei been known to tell his wife even, more than that he " did no' that ill the-day,"oT that he expects " to gar this pay weel." She, like a sensible woman, would no more think of going into particulars, than she would of ques- tioning the theology of the Confession of Faith or of the Shorter ■Catechism, and yet, here was a man who thought himself cute, and bent on winning over Mr. McTavish in a delicate piece of business, actually making a guess at how much the latter might clear off his grades ! -' I should think they'll bring from $50 to $60 apiece all round, don't you think so 1 Said Mr. McTavish " Perhaps yes, and perhaps no," and hereupon he made a dive into the root house close by, where he remained ten times longer than was necessary to fill a bas- ket with turnips, hoping that " Maister Mairtin " in the mean- time would retire. But Mr. Martin didn't. "When McTavish re-appearcd Martin was ready for him again. "Is it true Mr. McTavish that Miss Pollock ain't agoin' to teach no more?" *• I couldn't say.'' " I was told she wasn't." ' < ' : ' , " Inteet !" '' Yes, I heerd tell she'd sent you word she wouldn't stay no longer 'n this week." " Oh !" " Is that so, Mr. McTavish 1" " I'm not at loeberty to say." "Well now that's kind o' queer, you an' I have been old friends for nigh on thirty years since we settled in Rexville, an' you mightn't be so close as all that comes to 'specially as I've an interest in findin' out." "What interest you'll have, Maister Mairtin ]" ** Well now, just atween ourselves, if Miss Pollock ain't a goin' to hold on I kind o' thought my daughter Polly Ann, seein' as she's got a certificate, might git the place if she kin git as good recommends as any one else, eh 1" '• All I can say, Mai ?ter Mairtin is just this; if Miss Maiitin pits in her application, it will receive careful con8itheration,in case we require a teacher, but I can tell you no more at prais- ant until the meeting of the Boord " " You haven't got nothm' agin Polly Ann if she does apply, have ye 1 Mr. McTavish didn't want to answer this question, so ha became interrogator and saidj^ — THE ADVENTURES OF NO. 7. 9 "How old is she?" " Eighteen, risin' nineteen, an' one o' the best gals you erer seen around a place, why she kin knock the spots of her moth- er in makin' custards and tidies an' all other kinds o' 'broidery work." " Well, Maister Mairtin. the Boord will meet in the school- house at four o'clock, so that I must go and get the meenute book ready, and if we require a teacher you'll see it in the papers. Gool aifternoon." I CHAPTER III. I ,, ' Phil Martin had no reason to feel pleased over his first at- tempt to secure influence in favor of Polly Ann, but thinking he might succeed better with Mr. Turner and Mr. Schuntz, he drove off towards the farm of the latter, Turner's place being in the opposite direction and much farther away. Mr. Jacob Schuntz was a Pennsylvania Dutchman, one of those thrifty, hard-headed, close-fisted, honest settlers who have done so much towards making Ontario what it is — the Garden of •Canada. On Martin's arrival, Schuntz was was sitting astride of a cedar post boring two inch holes with a crank and pinion auger, and humming to himself the tune of an old Lutheran hymn, be- tween the bars of which he frequently shot a stream of tobacco juice into the last hole he had bored, and this he did so per- sistently, that one might have fanciod him to have some pre- servative object in view. *' Busy as usual, Schuntz" said Martin, homing out his hand to grasp his neighbor's, ** what a wonderful man you do be to git through work. Why there ain't nothin' you don't make ; pests, gates, pickets, barrows, sheds, shanties au' sich, an' now when I think of it, you built the house, didn't ye?" "Yah, und a pooty goot house too — eight rooms and one kitchen, finish out and out, und only choost gost me five hoon- der, forty six dollar dirty-seven a half cent. Goot cellai too, dry as can be, bump cistern and all. Sheap house don't it." " You're a caution. There ain't another man in the town- ship as handy as you be, or that makes more money. Your youngsters '11 have a nice pile some day, an' talkin' about younszsteis, puts me in mind of a report that Miss Pollock's agoin' off, wonder if it's true V " Maybe itjwas. I know someding's up, for McTavish vants a meeting to-night. Yell, I hope Miss jfollock don't go oSi» Mine shildren goes along fusht-rate mit her." mImMM 10 THE ADVENTURES OF KO. 7 !• 'I " If you want a new teacher Mr. Schuntz, don't you think my daughter would suit you t" "Vichr '* Polly Ann. She's just took a certificate, an' would like to pitch right in an' do something for herself, I know she's awful found of young ones. I heerd her say how much she liked some of yours only the other day." "Berhaps ii yas Fritz she like." " No, no, you're joking Schuntz, I mean the little ones. I can get good recommends for her if you would promise to give her a lift." " "Well, Mr. Martin, I don't know much schooling myself, and I most in shenerally shoost agree mitMr. McTavish, vhen I oondershtand not myself." "If I was you now, Schuntz, I wouldn't allow old McTavish to lead me hy the nose, I would " '^ Vat you dink he nose m© by the lead 1 No Sir. No man pull my nose. No sir. Mr. McTavish never do so. He's a shentleman. No Sir."' "You don't understand me, Mr. Schuntz. I only mean that I wouldn't allow him to have all the say. I didn't mean no insult. I only thought that for old friendship's sake you'd give our Polly Ann a chance anyhow, an' I'm scared old Mac's down on her, d'ye see. " "Veil, I guess so too ; we're old vrients und she should have shoost so goot a shance as anybody. But ve'll see to-night." "Much obliged, Mr. Schuntz, an' if she gits the sit, you may reckon your youngsters won't have no reason to be sorry for it anyhow." ' ,,,, " All righdt, you'll hear to morrow, Mr. Martin, but you bet- ter gall and see Durner." After another leave-taking Phil Martin did not feel as he wanted to feel. He had tried to please, and wasn't sure that he had quite succeeded any more with the Dutchman than with the Scot. If money had been any object to Schuntz, he was prepared to offer hira five or even ten dollars for his influ- ence at the board, but the way the nose-leading allusion had been received was quite enough to show how the offer of money would have been regarded, oven if Schuniz's character had not been already too well and tco widely known. Martin's only hope new lay with Turner, and on this last chance he determined to do his " prettiest " as he termed it. To his chagrin, however, Mr. Turner had left for the meeting by going through the bush, only a short time before he reach- ed the house. Nothing remained but for Mr. Philip Martin to return to Mrs. Dorothy Martin and Polly Ann, and to in- « • ' 4 '■: f. ^ou think )uld like low she's nuch she ones. I le to give 3 myself, isb, vhen IcTavish ^0 man He's a lean that mean no e you'd Id Mac's lid have ight." ou may )rry for Srou bet- el as he ire that m than mtz, he s infill- on had money lad not lis last ned it. leeting reach- ^lartin to in- « ■J THE ADVENTURES OF NO. 7. U foim them that he thought " the sight was darned poor, any* how." From the use of the foregoing profane-looking explec- tive, it must not be supposed that Mr. Martin was in the habit of using what Artemus Ward called " cuss-words." Far from it. He was a member of the church in good standing, and allowed himself the luxury of " darn " only when he was a trifle out of Borts, as on the present occasion, and besides that, he, like many other good, right-minded Canadians, did not regard the word in question as being very sulphureous anyhow. CHAPTER IV. • ' When Miss Pollock returned from the school, she found a note addressed to her in a well-known hand. She sat down to read it before taking off her " wraps," and this is what it said : My Dear Hannah. Harden, February 10th. Although Valentine's Day is not yet permit me to present you with this prescription, I mean epistle, for your soul use and benefit. I have heard a few of the abominable streit rumors in the villaagc about your failure to obtain a certificate, and I know that without any- thing of that kind going, your feelings must be of an unhappy character indeed. I hope you will not consider yourself bound by what I must re- gard as the sily promise or vow, or whatever you call it, you made last summer. Think over what passed between us then. Be reasonable. If I can at all, I shall run out to-night and see Mrs. Ferrand ! You must bo at home, now mind. Don't get it into your foolish little head that I bekave all I hear. I must be off to see a patient. j „;;. in; Yours and Yours only JAMES R. ROSE. Dr. Rose was a young man of twenty-seven or twenty-nine years of age, who seemed like a good many more young men in Ontario, to have become possed of his M. D. without a cjreat deal of trouble. Possibly his talents were fully commensurate with the extent of his practice which was pretty large ; yet one thing is certain — if his knowledge of Materia mo Another explained that she expected to take a second- clajiE: certificate next sammer, and the chairman declared he would ** vetoe that miss." Schuntz not seeinpf the relevancy of any remarks concerning a young lady's /oe.v, the gentlemen in the chair, thought this a fine opportunity to dazzle his neighbor by a display of erudition, and proceeded to explain that " lu them old Druid days, thousands of years ago, when everybody talked Crreek aiid Latin, if a follow done any crime, the letter " V" was burnt with a hot iron into his big too, to show he was a Vagabone, and then ho was said to be vcf-toed, or con- demned." it was in this way that Turner had, on many occasions, deceived hi.s simple-minded neighbors, by a show of spurious learning, and it must be confessed that he was nearly always equal to an emergency, some of his explanations too, showing not a little ingenuity. On the present occasion, however, ho failed to convince Schuntz tliat there had ever been a time when no Gorman was spoken, because '" The Shar- man lengvitch was spoke in the Garden of Edeu." The advent of Mr. Martin put a stop to what might have proved an interesting philological di>scussion. The latter gentlemen excused hia presence by saying how anxious he was to know the rosult of the meeting, and having to drive to past anyliow, he tliought he would just run in a bit. Of course Miss Polly Ann Martin was the snccossfnl applicant, and her dutiful parent was retiuestod to notify her to that effect. One of the letters in the packet hauJod to Turner was a pri- vate noti'from .McTavish to Schuntz. exhorting him to stick out against Turner, .should the latter wish to appoint j\Liss Martin. This note had escaped our Dutchman's observation. But not 80 that of Turnr^r, who was characterized in MjTavish's epistle as a " dangerous man." When Turner road this description of himself, ho. swore inwardlv to be '• even with the blamed old ■ rip, some day." That day may come, but morn probably it ' will not, for within twenty-four hours, the spirit of Archibald ' McTavish ha1 gone to mingle with those of Fingal and Ossian and, per ha2>''i of Eob Roy and of Ilolibie Burns. Who can say t CHAPTEK XL No prouder man — no prouder woman — ever stood in the township of Eexville, than were Phil and Mammy Martin on Monday morning, when Polly Ann, rigged out in her ' good clothes * started fo r the school a full mile away, towards Har- den. At church and Sunday School the previous day, it became pretty well known who the new school-ma'am was. Opinions differed very little as to her probable failure. Scarce- THE ADVENTl RES OF NO. 7. 21 cond clais he would loy of any aen in the I neighbor I that " In I very body the letter show he /, or con- on many by a show it he was [Vlanations t occasion, 3 had ever The Shar- ight have "ho latter JUS he was vo to past Of course t, and her ct. was a pri- stiok out IS Martin. But not 's epistle iption of med old obably it rchibald d Ossiau can say t ill the^ [artin on ' good [•da Har- day, it 'am was. Scarce- ly a parent in the section said a good word for her. " Bh« , wasn't mucb," '' She was stuck-up," " She was no great shakos," ** The boy's '11 boss her," "Some of the scholars might learn - her a good deal," and so on. With comments like these made in presoucs of the pupils, it would have been a wonder if Miss Polly Ann Martin could have succeeded, had she been poss- essed of even more than the average share of ability, which she was not. With remarks of a laudatory character, or at least, with strict silence on the part of the parents regarding her aptitude, she would probably have got along moderately well. The substance of thest criticisms ringing in the ears of forty or fifty boys and girls, from five to sixteen and eighteen years of age boded no good to Polly Ann as school- ma'am in No. 7. As early as eight o'clock, a squad of spark- ling-eyed urchins had collected in the school wood -shed, to plot mischief for the day. By and by, she came along herself, for in No. 7 mat* vs were not sufficiently advanced to have the fire lighted and ohe room warmed and swept for the recep- tion of the teacher and pupils in the morning. Neither had the trustees enough of sentiment about them, to attend with a new teacher, and introduce her to the school. Miss Martin expected nothing of this kind, and so came prepared with a box of matches and — a strap. She had never taught ; she had never been told how to teach ; she had never read anything on the subject; she did not appear to think either telling or reading necessary, nnd as for practice — how could she get that till she taught? In fact, her notion of teaching was simply this : Tell the scholars to learn so-and-to — if they don't, ' lick ' them ; Tell them to behave — if they don't ^ lick ' them. Ah ! Polly Ann, there have been too mnny like you in the world. Far too many of your mind have undertaken to • keep ' school, and strange to stay, there art too many doing so still. With some difficulty the fire was lighted and by nine o'clock nearly fifty scholars had assembled ' in arms.' So far, the new school-ma'am, wi8liJD,<5 to preserve her dignity, had not spjken to those even with whom she was well acquainted. When the time came for calling school to order for prayer, teaching did'nt seem to be such an easy thing to do, after all. She managed, however, to secure quietness for a few seconds And nearly broke down half-a-dozen times before getting through the 'Form.' During the solemn exercise, two or three benches were upset, several slates fell, a little chap bawled, " quit that !" and some amiable pupil managed in the midst of the 7nelee to throw a handful of pepper on the stove. Doors and windows had to be thrown open to prevent th» 22 THE ADVENTURES OF NO. 7. scholar! from coughing their heads off, although fifty per cent of the efforts that were made to relieve throats, wore entiiely voluntary. Miss Polly Ann Martin vras a very much disconcert- ed, bat at length si^coeeded in saying that unless "this here coughing was stopped, she would send for the trustees" and then she coughed violently herself. Sam Stokes " guessed Mr. Mc- Tavish couldn't come nohow." Tommy Piper's tiny voice, prompted by a bigger one asked Miss Martin if ''her mother knew she was out ?" Jemima Jane Maudsley simpered " Please ma'am can I go out 1" the teacher said " yes " and Jemima- Jane queried again, " How d'ye know ?" All the big girls laughed at the teacher's error and Jemima Jane's impudence;, but the teacher herself could see nothing to laugh at, and so she didn't even smile. A triangular fight now took place in the boys' corner, to prevent which she was wholly powerless ; an ink bottle thrown across the room just missed Tillft Croft's head, and went through a pane of glass. Older boys in differ- ent places were pinching the younger ones and pricking them with pins — the girls meanwhile keeping up a perpetual giggle and a noisy conversation. When the new school ma'am could stand this sort of thing no longer, she did what many others of her sex would have done much sooner — she cried. The sight of the teacher in tears, softened the hearts of nearly all the girls, who now declared it was ** too bad " but the boys, who enjoyed rain fully as much as sunshine, voted it " the best old time out." Drying her eyes, Miss Polly Ann informed the scholars there would be no moie school that day, and that next morn- ing she would have Messrs. Turner and Schuntz to come and pee to their behavior. When the children reached home, the £;ood kind, judicious pas and mas laughed heartily on hearing the highly colored accounta of the teacher's discomfiture, the juvenile tale-bearers being careful in every instance to explain that theij " only just sat an' looked at the fun, and didn't do nothing." It would be perfectly safe to say that not a single parent in Xo. 7 felt in the smallest degree chargeable with the disgraceful conduct of the papils that morning, and yet, judging from the generally expressed public opinion in the hearing of the children, regarding Miss Martin's appointment, whom, but the old people, can any sensible person blame 1 On |Tuesday morning, the school population of the section was represented by seven little girls and two little boys, all in the first book. The trustees were present, but having no audi- ence, said nothing and went home. On Wednesday, the attendance had diminished to five, all told ; on Thursday it was the same ; on Friday there was an \ y 'v', wm \>yper cent e entiielj lisconcert- "this hare " and then i Mr. Mc- iny voice, ler mother d " Please d Jemima ) big girls iipudencO;- at, and so k place in towerless ; 1ft Croft's I in differ- king them ual giggle ,'am could my others Led. The nearly all the boys, id it " the scholars 3xt morn- come and lome, the hearing ture, the explain didn't do a single ble with and yet, )n in the intment, amel e section j^s, all in no audi- 1 five, all was an THE ADVENTURES OF NO. 7. 2$ increase of one, and that night Miss Martin resolved, on the suggestior of the trustees, to resign.. I J CHAPTER Xn. Next week was a lively one in No. 7. Not only did they requik'e a new teacher, but they had to elect another trustee, and, according to a hint from thn inspector, to take into consid- eration how to provide better accommodation for the school.. While the events of the past few days had been taking place, Miss Pollock feelirgs had fairly boxed the compass. What with the disgrace, as she called it, of being plucked the importunities of Dr. Rose, chagrin at the appointment of Polly Ann Martin and unspeakable pleasure at that young lady's failure, the whole week was to Miss Pollock, in meteorolog'cal phrase, one of "torm, cloud and shower, with occasional blinks of sunshine. H«r step-mother had called on the Wednesday afternoon following her resignation tc inform her, contrary to rumor, th^t if she liked to stay at home for a few weeks till she could find something to do she would be quite welcome, that, in fact, she might make herself useful by assisting Mrs. Pollock to make some clothing for the little Pollocks — her half brothers and sisters, who attended school in Harden. Ac- cording to agreement, Hannah on this invitation, left Mr. Fer- rand's the next Monday morning, intending to remain in the village for, a little while, "hoping that something might even- tually present itielf, by means of which she could earn her own livelihood. Against all Pr. Rose's advances, she remained firm. Her reason for so doing will appear in a conversation that took place between her and Mrs. Pollock the day after she arrived home. "Hanner, (Mrs. Pollock was an English woman) this 'ere piece of stuff, as I'm puttiu' on Charlie's pants, just puts me in mind o' you every time as you see Dr. Rose." "How's that, mother r ' , */ .,^n; " 'Cause you look 80 stiff aud black." '' Well mother, Pm sure you ought to understand howl feel, so far as he is concerned," " I know nowt o't soart, but I know 'ow you might 'a felt at one time, more'n a year agone now. If Mr. Colton was alive wouldn't he 'a wrote to you afore this to say as it were all right, and didn't that letter from what-you-call-the-place, say as he weiiB drownded 1 So what's the use o' mopin' your life away ? You take my advicO;, an' if the doctor says any more about it, tell him it you don't hear from, what is it 1 24 THE ADVENTURES OF NO. 7..; " Sault Ste. Marie," said Hannah. "Well, from Susan Mary, in six weeks, or two months at furdest, you'll 'ave 'im an' you'd better stay 'ere to se«. There now, that's my mind on't." ) "Pprhaps you're right mother-^-I don't know but you are, and I wouldn't have been bo stiff with hira, if only I had got a certificate, for then you see, it wouldn't have looked like a necessity for me^to get married : now, it does. " Pooh ! When I married your father that's dead and gone, poor man, I had $2500, an' I didn't think as ho were any- think worse though he hadn't but a hundred or two, an' what's ^he doctor agoin' to care whether you're a bit o' paper called a certificate or iiotl" '■^' '''^' Hannah did not reply. She only pressed haider on the treadle of the sewing machine and thought a good deal. By and by, her step-mother returned to the attack : " If I were you I'd jist go an' write him a note an' tell him as you'd like to set him to-night so's as you can explain the whole consarn." " Not to-day mother. Say no more about it for a little while." That very night she received a letter from the Inspector stating that on his return from a visiting tour, having to search for a certain document, he found several sheets of foolscap on Grammar and Composition, written by her at the recent « xam- ination, and which, it was quite evident had been entirely overlooked in the scrutiny of the papers ; that he had immedi- ately conferred with the secretary, and felt perfectly satisfied that as soon as the other members of the Board became aware of the facts her certificate would be issued. In a semi-ecstatic state, let us leave her for a few days till we return to No. 7. CHAPTER XIII. It is most discreditable to this fair province, that in th« majority of school sections, unless some question of expendi- ture has to be discussed, it is almost impossible to get a well- attended school-meeting. Instances are known of where the deepestj bitterest feelings of a whole neighborhood have been aroused, by the proposal of the trustees to purchase maps to the value of five or ten dollars. The mere mention of a picket-fence in front of the school once put a whole section into convulsions. A suggestion to increase the teacher's salary will certainly prove the theme of many denunciations against the * Board ' at all the threshing bees for miles round. Since the Inspector had issued a mild protest against huddling from r THE ADVENTUEES OF XO. 7. 3(^ months at •. There t you are, I had got ced like a and gone, were any- an' what's per called )r on the leal. By ' tell him :plain the ir a little Inspector ' to bearch olscap on »nt » xam- entirely immedi- satisfied ime aware i-ecstatic No. 7. at in th« expendi- it a well- here the ive been ise maps ion of a section 's salary against Since ng from forty to fifty and sometime* even sixty pupils in a low-roofed, unplasterod, and badly furnished log-building, 20x22 feet, it is quite easy'to imagine that next Friday a week, after the school closed nearly every rate-payer in No. 7 was present at the meeting to hear what was to be said in favor of improvements, and fully resolved to " vote agin them." At the regular school-meeting on the second Wednesday in January, when no more important busiiiess than the election of