Arizona -- Social life and customs -- Fiction; Man-woman relationships -- Fiction; Religious fiction; Teachers -- Fiction
Last night, of course, I was pretty homesick, things all looked so
strange and new and different. I had known they would, but then I
didn't realize at all how different they would be. But I'm not
getting homesick already; don't think it. I'm not a bit sorry I
came, or at least I sha'n't be when I get started in school. One of
the scholars is Mrs. Tanner's son, and I like him. He's crude, of
course, but he has a brain, and he's been helping me this
afternoon. We made a bookcase for my books, and it looks fine. I
wish you could see it. I covered it with the green burlap, and the
books look real happy in smiling rows over on the other side of the
room. Bud Tanner got me some wonderful cactus blossoms for my brass
bowl. I wish I could send you some. They are gorgeous!
But you will want me to tell about my arrival. Well, to begin with,
I was late getting here [Margaret had decided to leave out the
incident of the desert altogether, for she knew by experience that
her mother would suffer terrors all during her absence if she once
heard of that wild adventure], which accounts for the lateness of
the telegram I sent you. I hope its delay didn't make you worry
any.
A very nice young man named Mr. Gardley piloted me to Mrs. Tanner's
house and looked after my trunks for me. He is from the East. It
was fortunate for me that he happened along, for he was most kind
and gentlemanly and helpful. Tell Jane not to worry lest I'll fall
in love with him; he doesn't live here. He belongs to a ranch or
camp or something twenty-five miles away. She was so afraid I'd
fall in love with an Arizona man and not come back home.
Mrs. Tanner is very kind and motherly according to her lights. She
has given me the best room in the house, and she talks a blue
streak. She has thin, brown hair turning gray, and she wears it in
a funny little knob on the tip-top of her round head to correspond
with the funny little tuft of hair on her husband's protruding
chin. Her head is set on her neck like a clothes-pin, only she is
squattier than a clothes-pin. She always wears her sleeves rolled
up (at least so far she has) and she always bustles around noisily
and apologizes for everything in the jolliest sort of way. I would
like her, I guess, if it wasn't for the other boarder; but she has
quite made up her mind that I shall like him, and I don't, of
course, so she is a bit disappointed in me so far.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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