The Undoing of David Lemwell [pp. 206-213]

The Untdoitg of David Letow/ell.
THE UNDOING OF DAVID LEMWELL.
"TEACHER'S goin' t' get a licken'."
This statement caused a shock of
pleased expectancy to thrill the youthful members of the "North Gulch Temple of Learning" (that was what publicspirited citizens called it) one morning
in June, when the world, awakening,
found herself more than usually lovely.
What an opening of eyes, and suppressed breathings of "ohs" and ahs,"
and "Who's goin' to do it?" "'Tain't
so!" and so forth. Expressions of approval and disapproval were thickly
afloat in an atmosphere charged with
appreciation of the fact that at last
something was going to happen.
Two dainty little maidens- twins,
who called themselves Zan and Zip, and
who adored their teacher - clasped
hands and beamed with pleasure. Evidently the coming chastisement appeared to their infantile minds a pleasing entertainment for the teacher's
especial benefit. The schoolhouse had
not known such commotion for -well,
never.
"Teacher's comin'," announced Louise, a tall angular girl of twelve years,
with a pretty, delicate face, long, muchhandled curls, and a very affected manner. Being the oldest girl in school,
and in Ray's Second Arithmietic, she
was very much looked up to and adored
from afar by the younger pupils. She
now set the example by going to her
desk and folding her hands demurely.
The others, with suppressed rustling
scrambles, like the scattering of mice,
skipped into their seats, and the room
became so deathly still that the smaller
children began to look frightened. A
squirrel, who had doubtless been inves
tigating the prospects of the nut crop,
assumed a listening attitude on the
branch that brushed the window; then,
evidently appalled by the sudden stillness, scurried away. An early bumblebee droned through the room and passed
on I'hen a quick, light step made a
crisp sound on the sandy soil, smote
with a gentle tap the cracker box that
served for a step, and in the doorway a
symbol of the morning stood enframed.
"Why bless me!" was the exclamation that greeted the unusual order.
Two boys nudged each other, and gulped
down a giggle. Louise turned her head
with a stately motion, and recognized
her teacher with a well graduated smile.
In the tense silence still pervading,
the teacher reached her desk, and became conscious that a sense of disappointment was passing over the school
like a breath. Teacher had her best
dress on! Then of course nothing was
going to happen after all! Louise got
out her grammar and turned the leaves
listlessly. Johnny Brent began to search
for a piece of rubber string with which
he was wont to beguile the hours shooting at any stray flies that might come
his way. Jem Low, a lank, dull-eyed
boy, deftly inserted a pin where it would
be apt to arouse the most energy when
Johnny should settle down. Those
whose resources for amusement were
more limited wore again the old air of
listlessness and indifference, - aimlessly getting ready to do something which
nobody expected would ever be done.
In comparison Louise, idly turning the
leaves of her book, now and then stopping to read the quotations that caught
her fancy, looked studious.
At any other time the teacher's new
dress and an unusual brightness of look
and alertness of manner would have,
been a pleasing diversion; but they had
been expecting something more, and
everything else was flat by comparison.
[Aug.
206