menu_book Chapter 15

chapter fifteen of eighty seven by pansy the slibrivox recording is in the public domain chapter fifteen sage conclusions i do not mean that she forgot this important subject utterly that indeed would have been unnatural perhaps impossible in an honest christian she gave it many passing thoughts wished there were some way of interesting winter in these matters bemoaned the fact that he seemed to have not one spark of natural interest in religion twice she said to him why don't you stay to sunday school the boys in the bible class look as though they were having real pleasant times but when he answered briefly that he did not know the boys and did not belong to their kind of folks she accepted the statement as important and let the question drop she sighed over the fact that he took scraps of paper to church on which he sat and figured during the sermon she accepted it as another proof that he was utterly indifferent in regard to all these things

once or twice she had been on the verge of asking him if he did not think the bible would be an important book to study but the fear of repelling him or setting up a barrier between them so that she could not help him in any direction deterred her people are so curiously afraid of being repellent on such subjects i have constantly observed this and unless satan has a good deal to do with it i do not understand it at least i do not propose to enter into an analysis of miss force's mind for you the fact remains that whatever the cause she let the winter and the spring and the early summer pass without speaking one earnest sentence to winter kelland on the subject which she believed to be of supreme importance and she was at the same time sufficiently interested in him to start him in arithmetic to lend a helping hand through the intricacies of algebra and to keep his possible tastes in mind whenever she visited the city library If you can make her conduct seem consistent, by all means do so. I can give you some of

Winters' conclusions. He was by no means so indifferent nor so blind as Miss Forst supposed. He occasionally listened to the preacher between cipherings. When an illustration bearing on practical life was used, he listened intently. He believed in the preacher as a scholarly man who liked books, had a great many of them, and liked to read to the people a sermon which he had prepared from them. That, that he was deeply interested in his, Winter's, soul for instance,

Winter did not believe. Why should he? He had once brought the minister from the cars to his own house, and had been asked questions intelligently concerning the raising of cabbages. The minister was at that time engaged in transplanting some young plants. Winter had no difficulty in seeing and believing that he was interested in them. He had often watched Miss Force in the same way. His little two-inch square book, you will remember, helped him to be wise in this direction.

She impressed him as one who was unselfishly disposed to do all she could for him in the lines which she deemed important. She believed in education, and had urged him to reach after one. She believed in arithmetic, and had encouraged him through it. She believed in algebra, and had given him many a wise lift in his tug with it. She believed in her reading circle, and often talked with him about it, and was pleased that he had almost committed one of

its chosen books to memory. Did she believe in the importance of his glorifying God with his body and with his spirit, as the little book read? How was Winter to tell? By their fruits ye shall know them, read the book, and the fruits this Christian bore were algebra, physiology, English history, and the like. Miss Force would have been dumbfounded over his conclusions, but really I do not know how he could have avoided them. As for Miss Putnam, she also was a

professing Christian. Winter had sat near her in church one Sabbath, and had seen her accept the bread and wine with reverent face. Her life, carefully watched, bore certain unmistakable fruit. She was interested in her cow and her garden and her flowers. She was interested in his clothes. They were always clean and in order. In his breakfasts and dinners, they were always abundant and wholesome. She was interested in industry and in thrift, and commended him

heartily for work which pleased her. She was even interested in a silent sort of way in his books. Did she not nightly furnish him with a large shaded lamp, and say not a word when he occasionally burned it until midnight? Was she also interested in his soul? I will have nobody about me who does not go to church regularly on Sundays. I don't believe in heathenism in a Christian land. This was the utmost possible which could be construed into a religious conversation

which she had ever held with him. Like the minister, she had talked about the cabbages and the potato bug and the currant worm and the rose slug. These were his duties. Were the other things? Remember, he had no inner experience of his own from which to judge. He knew nothing about the earnest struggles which Miss Putnam had with her rugged nature to keep her patient with the hundred shortcomings and downright failures of her fellow men and women. He did

not hear her pray for strength to keep her from giving Deacon Trumbull a piece of her mind, nor for patience to endure her tenant's slowness about his payments as long as it ought to be endured. He knew nothing of Miss Force's honest desire to press the interests of her circle, the cause of education, the general advancement of the world in right ways, because she believed that all these things were for the glory of God. It was only with distinct facts, as they came

before his vision, that he could deal. How was he to help his conclusions? They were not that these two were hypocrites. They were simply that, in a sense of which the writer of the line never dreamed, things were not what they seem. In other words, that the verses in the little book were capable of some other meaning than that which appeared on the surface. This one thing I do, meant somehow, I do a thousand things, all of them of more importance than this one of which

I seemed to be talking. Do you see the bewilderment of his mind? What was there for him to do but the thing he did do? Push it all from him as a matter with which he had no present dealing. Let the people who had time, and were inclined that way, attend to such topics, for himself he was otherwise employed. So the busy springtime passed, and the summer was fairly upon them. Three weeks more, and school would close for the long vacation, and Miss Force would go to her eastern home.

But I have promised to come back, she said to Miss Putnam, as the two sat over their early breakfast in the cool of the summer morning. I was in a great doubt about it, because of that other opening near home, and of course it would be pleasanter to be several hundred miles nearer Mama. Though, after all, as you say, it doesn't make very much difference after one is seated in the cars. But you will be amused over what finally decided me in favor of this place.

Oh, of course, I would rather a hundred times be here than to go among strangers. And you know how I would miss you, and my pretty room and everything. But the thought which finally weighed down the scales had to do with your winter. I am so interested in that boy. You can't think how anxious I am to see him get an education. I believe he is going to do it. Something more, you know, than a mere knowledge of rudiments. He has it in him, and it would be such a curious

triumph of our reading circle. For, though to many the road would seem circuitous, the circle has really been the center of action. He is certainly busy enough about his books to accomplish something, and it hasn't spoiled him for work either. Miss Putnam assented cordially. I was afraid at first that you would give him notions about being destined for a higher sphere or some of that kind of stuff, but he has been just as faithful as before, and I don't know but

he has been sharper about some things. It wouldn't be easy for anybody to cheat him out of a half sent, I know. I mean to help him, said Miss Force energetically. When I come back in the fall, I shall bring a trunk full of books which will be especially suited to his needs. I shall get a friend of mine to help me select some works on anatomy from Papa's library. It seems strange that his tastes are developing in that line, for it is the exact line in which I

can help him. With books, and such books are expensive, you know. I think it must be more than a passing fancy, for I never had a scholar who made anything like the progress which he has in the study of physiology. The truth is that lending him books is about the only way in which I can help him now in that line. He is getting beyond my depth, and I was pretty well read for a girl who had no natural tastes in those directions. I think Papa was always a little

sorry I had not. He tried to cultivate some in me. However, Winter needs help in other directions. A doctor has need to know more than medicine. You don't suppose he ever expects to make a doctor of himself? exclaimed Miss Putnam, not a little startled. To have her tramp develop in this way was so entirely out of the line of conventionality. So unlike her old-fashioned knowledge of these things, so many years in common school, so many in the academy,

so many in college, so many attending lectures, that she was somewhat in doubt whether to be pleased or to think Miss Force a harmful visionary. Why not? returned that young lady, coolly, helping herself to another dish of strawberries. Aren't these berries delicious? Winter succeeds with strawberries, doesn't he? I shall not be amazed if he develops into a thoroughly well-educated doctor in time, though I do not think he has an idea of it as yet.

He has not fully awakened to the fact that a young man with brains and determination can do almost anything he wishes in this country. He is certainly bewitched with all the studies which tend in a medical direction, and I believe in his cultivating the taste and seeing what will come of it. To that end I mean to help him. Miss Putnam stirred her coffee thoughtfully. I mean to help him myself a little, she said, with the slowness of speech which indicates

deliberate decision. I have some things in mind, though if you are right, perhaps they are not the proper things for him. I thought maybe when I was through with the old place, Don doesn't need it, nor want it. Not that I could ever let the old place go entirely out of the family. It belongs to the name, and I hope Don will never let go of it. But I thought if Wynne made a farmer of himself, perhaps it might be managed, that... It is a pity you are not going to be here this

summer while Don is at home. You and he might have some pretty good times together. Maybe you might be able to awaken his interest in your protege. There was a wickedly mischievous look in Miss Putnam's gray eyes as she got off those innocent sentences. The blood glowed on the younger lady's cheek, but she answered promptly enough, Of course I wouldn't miss being at home with Mama for anything else in the world, but I have no fears about your being able to interest

Mr. Bradley in winter. I have never known a young man more interested in struggling boys than he. "'Don is interested in everything good,' said Miss Putnam, a beautiful, tender light coming into her eyes as she thought of her idol. "'Well, my plan is to talk things over with Don, and see how they could be arranged so that Winter might be a fixture on the place so long as he wanted to be. I thought of putting something about it into my will. I made my will quite a little

while ago, and left him a curious kind of a present. And again the laughing look came into her eyes. But I have thought of changing it a little if Don approved. Mr. Bradley will be sure to approve of whatever unselfish, helpful thoughts you have, said Miss Forrest heartily. I'm so glad that my boy Wynne has such a good, strong friend as you. I mean to start him in several other directions during these three weeks, give him enough to work on all summer. They left the table

with that, and went their busy ways, still full of their kindly plans for the boy who steadily hoed in the large vegetable garden, but who no longer whistled while he hoed, for the reason that he had not time for whistling. He was at that moment mastering one of the conjugations of a Latin verb. Miss Force stopped as she passed the gate on her way to school, and spoke some pleasant words, and went away still thinking of him. That young fellow ought to be a Christian.

This was her thought. Of course all people ought to be, but he will have influence in the world, I believe. He ought to be one for Christ before he goes any farther. I wish I knew how to approach him on such a subject. Tonight I mean to try to have a real earnest talk with him. Two hours later, Winter brought from the office one of those yellow-covered letters, which are sure to strike terror into the hearts of people unused to receiving them.

He halted at the side door, where Miss Putnam stood, only long enough to say, Here is the meat, and I have a telegram for Miss Force. I thought I would drive to the schoolhouse with it. It may be something which she ought to know right away. of course said miss putnam dear me i hope the poor child has no bad news but winter could not reply for the reason that he and the fat pony were already far down the road leading to the fremont street school it was short and cruelly explicit as well as cruelly lacking in details as telegrams always are mother is very sick come immediately

it was winter who remembered that an eastbound train would be due in an hour it was he who gathered the poor young teacher's books remembering the bible in her desk and the note-book under a pile of papers it was he who gave brief explanation to the principal at the door while some of the older girls helped their teacher with her sack and hat it was he who a half hour later managed to get the big trunk down the wide old staircase he hardly knew how it was he who bought the ticket and checked the trunk after driving with utmost speed and absolute silence through the long sunny street from the first moment of his arrival at the schoolroom door he had been alert efficient sympathetic silent on the platform miss force stopped and held out her hand good-bye she said you have been as good as gold and as thoughtful as though you had taken care of people all your life i shall not forget you i'll never forget her he said in grim tearless sorrow as he let the pony walk slowly toward home to atone for her unwonted speed she had not waddled so fast in years as she had that morning

she has been a good friend to me i don't know what i'm to do i don't believe she will come back somehow it seems as though she wouldn't i was going to ask her about that latin rule this very evening well there's one thing she expects me to conquer that latin grammar this summer and i mean to do it chapter fifteen