E-text prepared by Al Haines
by
New York
Robert M. McBride & Company
Copyright, 1921
by Robert M. McBride & Company
I Mrs. Grumble
II School Lets Out
III The Barlys
IV Mr. Jeminy Builds A house Out of Boxes
V Rain
VI Harvest
VII Mrs. Grumble Goes to the Fair
VIII The Turn of the Year
IX The Schoolmaster Leaves Hillsboro,
His Work There Seemingly at an End
X But He is Sought After All
XI And is Found in Good Hands
XII Mrs. Wicket
On Sunday the church bells of Hillsboro rang out across the ripeningfields with a grave and holy sound, and again at evening knockedfaintly, with quiet sorrow, at doors where children watched for thefirst star, to make their wishes. Night came, and to the croaking offrogs, the moon rose over Barly Hill. In the early morning the grass,still wet with dew, chilled the bare toes of urchins on their way toschool where, until four o'clock, the tranquil voice of Mr. Jeminydisputed with the hum of bees, and the far off clink of theblacksmith's forge in the village.
At four o'clock Mr. Jeminy, with a sigh, gathered his books together.He sighed because he was old, and because the day's work was done. Hearose from his seat, and taking up his stick, passed out between thebenches and went slowly down the road.
It was a warm spring day; the air was drowsy and filled with the scentof flowers. A thrush sang in the woods, where Mr. Jeminy heard beforehim the light voices of children. He thought: "How happy they are."And he smiled at his own fancies which, like himself, were timid andkind.
But gradually, as the afternoon shadows began to lengthen, he grew sad.It seemed to him as if the world, strange and contrary during the day,were again as it used to be when he was young.
When he crossed the wooden bridge over Barly Water, the minnows,frightened, fled away in shoals. Mr. Jeminy turned down toward thevillage, where he had an errand to attend to. As his footsteps diedaway, the minnows swam back again, as though nothing had happened.One, larger than the rest, found a piece of bread which had fallen intothe water. "This is my bread," he said, and gazed angrily at hisfriends, who were trying to bite him. "I deserve this bread," he added.
Old Mr. Frye kept the general store in Hillsboro, and ran the postoffice. It was easy to see that he was an honest man; he kept his shoptidy, and was sour to everybody. Through his square spectacles he sawhis neighbors in the form of fruits, vegetables, stick pins, and piecesof calico. Of Mr. Jeminy he used to say: "Sweet apples, but small,very small; small and sweet."
"Yes," said Farmer Barly, "but just tell me, who wants small apples?"
Mr. Frye nodded his head. "Ah, that's it," he agreed.
At that moment Mr. Jeminy himself entered the store. "I'd like to buya pencil," he said. "The pencil I have in mind," he explained, "issoft, and writes easily, but has no eraser."
"There you are," said the storekeeper; "that's five cents."
"I used to pay four," said Mr. Jeminy, looking for the extra penny.
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