CHAPTERIII
UponalateSeptemberdayforty-nineyearsandsomemonthsbefore，thatuponwhichGabeBearsecametoJedWinslow’swindmillshopin，OrhamwiththenewsofLeanderBabbitt’senlistment，MissFloretta，Thompsoncametothatvillagetoteachthe“downstairs“school。
MissThompsonwasanorphan。Herfatherhadkeptasmalldrug，storeinatowninwesternMassachusetts。Hermotherhadbeena，clergyman’sdaughter。Bothhaddiedwhenshewasinher’teens。
Now，attwenty，shecametoCapeCod，pale，slim，withawealthof，lightbrownhairandapairoflarge，dreamybrowneyes。Hertaste，indresswaspeculiar，eveneccentric，andOrhamsoondiscovered，thatshe，herself，wasalsosomewhateccentric。
Asaschoolteachershewasnotanunqualifiedsuccess。The，“downstairs“curriculumwasnotextensivenorveryexacting，butit，wassupposedtoimparttotheboysandgirlsoffromsevento，twelvearudimentaryknowledgeofthethreeR’sandofgeography。