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"I have a higher ambition in life than to settle down to take care of Absalom Puntz!" said Tillie, fire in her soft eyes, and an unwonted vibration in her gentle voice. "My credulity was an insult to you!" "Absalom did not mean to tell you a lie. He has made up his mind to have me, so he thinks it is all as good as settled.
"And mind, now," he added, leaning far back in his chair, crossing his legs, thrusting his thumbs into his vest pockets, and letting his eyes rest upon her, "if ever you want a doctor, I ain't chargin' you nothin'; and leave me tell you somethin'," he said, emphasizing each word by a shake of his forefinger, "Jake Getz and Nathaniel Puntz they're the two school directors that 'most always makes trouble fur the teacher.
"Well, if Jake Getz saw you standin' up for his childern against his lickin' 'em or makin' 'em work hard; or if you wanted to make 'em take time to learn their books at home when he wants 'em to work or some such he'd get awful down on you. And Nathaniel Puntz he 's just the conTRARY he wants his n' spoiled he's got but the one."
With Tillie, they were in doubt as to how Jake Getz would receive the news. "Is they a' applicant?" he inquired on his arrival. "Why, to be sure," said Nathaniel Puntz. "What fur would it be worth while to waste time meetin' to elect her if they ain't none?" "Then she's a female, is she?" "Well, she ain't no male, anyways, nor no Harvard gradyate, neither. If she was, I wouldn't wote fur her!"
She can easy earn enough to buy the children's winter clo'es and gums and school-books." "When she comes eighteen, pop, she'll have the right to get married whether or no you'd conceited you wouldn't give her the dare." "If I say I ain't buyin' her her aus styer, Absalom Puntz nor no other feller would take her." An "aus styer" is the household outfit always given to a bride by her father.
Amanda improved this opportunity to add her word of warning to that of the doctor. "That there Board's awful hard to suit, still. Oncet they got a Millersville Normal out here, and when she come to sign they seen she was near-sighted that way, and Nathaniel Puntz he's a director he up and says that wouldn't suit just so well, and they sent her back home. Now," concluded Amanda, "you see!"
The Evangelical, the New Mennonite, and the Amishmen were farmers, the Dunkard kept the store and the post-office, and the Old Mennonite was the stage-driver. Jacob Getz was the Evangelical; and Nathaniel Puntz, Absalom's father, the New Mennonite.
"Tillie ain't got the dare to keep comp'ny Sundays! It made her a whole hour late with the washin' this mornin'. I'm tellin' her she's got to tell Absalom Puntz he can't come no more." Mrs. Getz paused with comb poised in air, and her feeble jaw dropped in astonishment. "Why, pop!" she said. "Ain't you leavin' Tillie keep comp'ny?" "No," affirmed Mr. Getz. "I ain't.
"You don't know Nathaniel Puntz!" She shook her head. "Absalom will never forgive you, and, at a word from him, his father would never rest until he had got rid of you. You see, none of the directors like you they don't understand you they say you are 'too tony. And then your methods of teaching they aren't like those of the Millersville Normal teachers we've had, and therefore are unsound!
Fairchilds continued, beginning to enjoy himself, "in the revelations of science." "He believes in Genesis and in Revelations," explained the president to the others. "Maybe he's a Cat'lic!" suggested the suspicious Mr. Puntz. "No," said Fairchilds, "I am, as I said, a Truth-Seeker.
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