etown "better stick to the three
R's--reading, 'riting, and 'rithmetic!"

However, the opinion of the people in general seemed to be in favor of
the new ideas, and they promised to back up Nelson Haley in his work of
modernizing the school.

"Of course you'll make it one of the best schools in the state--I know
you will, Nelson," declared Janice, when he walked home with her after
the exercises.

"If _you_ say so--of course!" replied the young man, with a smile.

CHAPTER XXV

THROUGH THE SECOND WINTER

During the summer, matters at the reading-room and library had been
allowed to drift along to a great extent. Marty and one of his
particular chums had kept the reading-room open evenings during Mr.
Haley's absence; but now Janice knew that the school-teacher would have
his hands quite full without giving any time to the reading-room.

She set about making a second campaign for the advancement of the
institution and the broadening of its work. She found five girls beside
herself willing to keep the reading-room open one afternoon a week, and
to exchange books for the members of the library association. The
institution had proved its value in the community and Janice privately
went to several people who were well able to help, and collected a fund
for the payment of a regular librarian in the evening.

One of the boys who had shown most advancement during the spring in
school work was glad to earn a small wage as librarian and caretaker of
the reading-room evenings. An effort was made, too, to increase the
number of volumes in the library so as to obtain a share of the State
Library Appropriation for the next year.

Janice was not alone interested in the reading-room's affairs. There was
the matter of a new piano for the Sunday-school room. The instrument in
use had been a second-hand one when the Sunday School obtained it; and
it was forever out of tune.

"However can you expect the children to sing in unison, and sing well,
Mr. Scribner," Janice said to the Sunday-school superintendent, "when
there isn't an octave in harmony on the old piano? Come on! let's see
what we can do about getting a brand-new, first-class instrument?"

"Oh, my dear girl! Impossible! quite impossible!" declared the
superintendent, who was a bald, hopeless little man, who kept books for
the biggest store in town, and was imbued with the prevailing Poketown
spirit of "letting well enough alone."

"How do you know it is imposs