gnal ran out to
the gate to see who was passing.

The school-house of Buck Creek district, a neat wooden building, painted
white, stood in a grassy acre lot, bordered on two sides by thick woods,
on the other two by the roads which crossed here. In the corner
diagonally across from it stood a snug cabin, with a garden around it, a
well-sweep in the rear, and a log stable not far distant. She alighted
in front of it, and was proceeding to hitch her horse, when the door
opened, and a man stepped out, greeting her with a friendly "Howdy?"

She responded, and asked if Mr. Sapp lived here.

"My name is Sapp," he said, and, tying her horse, invited her in.

There she found the rest of the family,--the mother, a grown daughter,
and two half-grown sons: they seemed friendly, but a little shy, and
stood in the background while she transacted her business.

"Yes," Mr. Sapp said, in answer to her question, "they wanted a
three-months' school, but had no teacher engaged. Had she ever taught
before?"

No, she had had no experience in teaching; but she had attended the
Sassafrasville Academy several terms, and was qualified to teach the
common branches,--arithmetic, grammar, and geography, reading, writing,
and spelling.

Well, he would bring her application before the other two trustees, and
guessed they would elect her: there was no other applicant. Now, about
the terms: three dollars a scholar for the term of twelve weeks was the
usual rate. If she would draw up a subscription-paper, he would take it
round himself and get as many names as he could; thought he could get
twelve scholars signed, and knew that more would be sent. The children
had to be kept at home in busy times, and the farmers didn't like to
bind themselves to pay the full amount for all that they would send. He
himself would sign one and send two. Charley could go all the time; but
Jack would have to help about mowing and reaping and threshing, and
couldn't attend regularly.

So Elvira drew up the paper according to his dictation, and, leaving it
with him, rode home in the dusk of the evening, feeling happy over her
prospects.

Her grandmother had supper ready in the little kitchen; and it tasted so
good, the salt-rising bread and butter and hash, the little tea-cakes,
and the preserved pears. While the grandmother drank her cup of tea,
Elvira told her the incidents of the afternoon; and the night closed
around them as they sat secure and content in thei