Little Citizens: The Humours of School LifeKelly, Myra
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Little Citizens: The Humours of School Life
Kelly, Myra
Short stories; Students -- New York (State) -- New York -- Fiction; United States -- Social life and customs -- 20th century -- Fiction
"Crazy old Teacher!" snorted Mrs. Mogilewsky. "Fool old Teacher! I
sends my little boy on the school so he should the English write und
talk und the numbers learn so he comes--through the years maybe--American
man, und she learns him foolishness over dogs und cats und
horses. Crazy, crazy, crazy!"
"Oh, come now. That's rather strong," remonstrated Doctor Ingraham,
with a quizzical glance at Miss Bailey. Mrs. Mogilewsky wheeled towards
her benefactress.
"Do you know Morris's teacher?" she asked eagerly. "Ach, lady, kind
lady, tell me where is her house; I like I shall tell her how she make
sickness on my little boy. He lays on the bed over her. I like I should
tell her somethings."
"Mrs. Mogilewsky," began Miss Bailey, gently, "there is nothing you
could say to her that would make her more sorry than she is. She is
broken-hearted already, and if you don't stop talking like that you
will make her cry. And then Morris would surely cry too; shouldn't
you, dearie?"
"Teacher, yiss ma'an," quavered Morris.
"You!" groaned Mrs. Mogilewsky. "Be you Morris's teacher? Gott, how
I makes mistakes! So you learn him that foolishness extra so he gets
chawed off of horses?"
"Nonsense," interposed the doctor. "Miss Bailey is ridiculously fond
of that child of yours."
"So-o-oh," began Mrs. Mogilewsky. "So-o-oh, she ain't done it extra?"
"Purposely? Of course not," answered the doctor.
"Ach, well, I should better maybe, excuse her." Mrs. Mogilewsky,
placated and bland, resumed: "I excuse her the while she ain't so awful
old. She makes, sometimes, mistakes too. I like you should come--the
both--on my house for see me some day. That makes me glad in mine
heart."
"Oh mamma, mamma," cried Morris, "they couldn't to come by our house.
They is Krishts. She is Krishts und he is Krishts. From long she tells
me. Und you says, you says--"
"Think shame," his mother admonished him. "Ain't you seen how she is
lovin' mit you? Und Morris, mine golden one, I am all times lovin' mit
somebody what is lovin' mit you. Ain't I excused her over it und made
her invitation on my house?
"And we shall be delighted," said the doctor, as he led the speechless
Miss Bailey away. "It is uncommonly good of you to have forgiven her.
But, as you, with keenest insight, discern, she is not very old. Perhaps
she will reform."
"Reform! I hate the very word," sighed Miss Bailey, for the day had
been trying and her discouragement was great. "I've been trying to
reform these people ever since I came down here. I've failed and failed
and failed; misunderstood time and time again; made mistake after
mistake. And now I've nearly killed that boy. The woman was right. It
was all my fault."
"It might be better--" began the Doctor and halted. "You might be
happier if you--"
"Resigned?" suggested Teacher. "Yes, sometimes I think I shall."
"Do," said Doctor Ingraham. "That's a capital beginning."
THE END
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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