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Although Nelson Haley was touched by Lottie's sad condition, and by anything else going on about him that had the personal note in it, Janice thought the Poketown school-teacher showed very little public spirit. She began to realize that his overseeing of the reading-room and library was inspired by his wish to please her instead of his actual interest in the institution.
But Elder Concannon let go of a dollar no more easily now than when he had been dependent upon a four-hundred-dollar salary and a donation party twice a year. It was not altogether parsimony that made the old gentleman "hem and haw" over Janice Day's proposal. Naturally, an innovation of any kind would have made him shy, but especially one calculated to yield any pleasure to the boys of Poketown.
He would have been ashamed to be caught walking with his girl cousin by daylight, and on the public streets of Poketown! After school that day, when Janice arrived again at the old Day house, the first thing she heard was her aunt's complaining voice begging Marty to go down to Dickerson's for a bucket of water. "What's the matter with Dad?" demanded the boy. "Didn't I bring him that pump leather?
I don't suppose there's a man there that don't own his own house. There's Mel Parraday, who owns the ho-tel; and Lem Pinney that owns stock in this very steamboat comp'ny; and Walkworthy Dexter Walky's done expressin' and stage-drivin' since before my 'Rill come here to Poketown to teach." "But but they look so ragged and unshaven," gasped Janice.
Father has been everything to me just everything!" and for a moment the bright, young face clouded and the hazel eyes swam in unshed tears. But she turned quickly so that her new acquaintance might not see them. "Where are you goin', my dear?" asked the old lady, more softly. "To Poketown. And oh!
"She didn't have no sort er control over Marty." "Huh!" grunted that young man, "she couldn't teach nothin' ter nobody that ol' maid." "But 'most of the girls and boys of Poketown go to school to her, don't they?" asked Janice. "Them whose folks can't send 'em to the Middleboro Academy," admitted her aunt. "Then I'm going up to get acquainted after dinner," announced Janice.
We might as well be and buried, too, here in Poketown for it is right next door to a cemetery for deadness, I do believe. You know what it was when you was lucky enough to get out of it twenty years ago. Well, it is worse now. There has been nothing new in Poketown since you went away, excepting the town pump's been painted once.
The walking-beam heaved up and down with many a painful creak. "Why! that place is real pretty when you look at it from the lake," murmured Janice, looking back at the little landing. "I wonder if Poketown will be like it?" She looked about her, half tempted to ask a question of somebody.
It's a fac'. Poketown is all cluttered up what ain't right down filthy. An' I don't see as there's anything can be done abeout it." "Why Mrs. Beasely do you believe there is anything so bad that it can't be helped?" queried Janice, slowly and thoughtfully. It was the first time her voice had been heard amid the general clatter, since she had come to sit down.
Neatly printed announcements had been scattered about Poketown, signed by Hopewell Drugg, and making a bid for a share of the general trade. His windows remained attractively dressed. He displayed new stock and up-to-the-minute articles. The drummers who came to Poketown began to pay more attention to this store on the side street.
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