NextdaywordwassentaroundthatschoolwastobeginthecomingMonday；soSaturdayafternoonthepeoplewhohadchildrenlargeenoughtogosentthebiggestofthemtocleantheschoolhouse。
May，Leon，andIwenttodoourshare。Justwhentherewereaboutabushelofnutshells，andwitheredapplecores，andinkypaperonthefloor，theblackboardhalfcleaned，andashestraileddeepbetweenthestoveandthewindowBillyWilsonwasthrowingthemfrom，someoneshouted：“TherecomesMr。StantonwithHer。“
Allofusdroppedeverythingandrantothesouthwindows。I
tellyouIwasproudofourbigwhiteteamasitcameprancingdownthehill，andthegleamingpatentleathertrimmings，andthebrasssidelampsshininginthesun。Fathersatverystraight，drivingratherfast，asifhewouldasliefgetitoverwith，andinsteadofridingonthebackseat，wheremotheralwayssat，theteacherwasinfrontbesidehim，andsheseemedtobetalkingconstantly。Welookedateachotherandgroanedwhenfatherstoppedatthehitchingpostandgotout。Ifwehadtriedtoseewhatadreadfulmusswecouldmake，thingscouldhavelookednoworse。Ithinkfathertoldhertowaitinthecarriage，butweheardhercry：“OhMr。Stanton，letmeseethedearchildrenI’mtoteach，andwhereI’mtowork。“
Hoppedistheword。Shehoppedfromthecarriageandcamehoppingafterfather。Shewasastallasaclothespropandscarcelyasfat。Thereweregrayhairscomingonhertemples。
Herfacewassallowandwrinkled，andshehadfaded，pale-blueeyes。Herdresswaslikemymotherhadwornseveralyearsbefore，instyle，andofstiffgraystuff。Shemademefeelthatnoonewantedherathome，andprobablythatwasthereasonshehadcomesofaraway。
Everyonestooddumb。MotheralwayswenttomeetpeopleandMaywasoldenoughtoknowit。Shewent，butshelookedexactlyasshedoeswhenthewaferburstsandthequininegetsinhermouth，andshedoesn’tdarespititout，becauseitcostsfivedollarsabottle，andit’sgoingtodohergood。FatherintroducedMayandsomeoftheolderchildren，andMayhelpedhimwiththeothers，andthenhetoldusto“diginandworkliketroopers，“andhewouldtakeMissPollardonhome。
“Ohdoletmeremainandhelpthedearchildren！“shecried。
“Wecanfinish！“weansweredinfullchorus。
“Howlovelyofyou！“shechirped。
Chirpmakesyouthinkofabird；andinspeechandmannerMissAmeliaPollardwasthemostbirdlikeofanyhumanbeingIeverhaveseen。Shehoppedfromthesteptothewalk，turnedtous，herheadononeside，playfulnessintheairaroundher，andshookherfingeratus。
“Beextremelyparticularthatyouleavethingsimmaculateattheconsummationofyourlabour，“shesaid。“`RememberthatcleanlinessisnexttoGodliness！’“
“Twotermsofthat！“gaspedLeon，sinkingonthestovehearth。
“BeholdJobmourningasclosetheashesashecan。“
BillyWilsonhadthetoplidoff，sohereacheddownandgotabighandfulofashesandsiftedthemoverLeon。Butit’snofuntodoanythinglikethattohim；heonlysankinamoredejectedheap，andmoaned：“SendforBildadandZophartocomfortme，andmoreashes，please。“
“Whydoesthelittlefeathereddeartouchearthatall？Whydoesn’tshefly？“demandedSilasShaw。
“I’mgoingtogetahundredwadsreadyforMonday，“saidJimmyHood。“Wecanshootthemwhenweplease。“
“Bettencentsyoucan’thither，“saidBillyWilson。“Thereain’tenoughofherforadecentmark。“
“Let’squitandgohome，“proposedLeon。“ThiswilllookworsethanitdoesnowbyMondaynight。“
Theneveryonebegantalkingatonce。SuddenlyMayseizedthepokerandbeganpoundingonthetopofthestovefororder。
“Wemustcleanthisup，“shesaid。“Wemightaswellfinish。
Maybeyou’llshootwadsanddowhatyouplease，andmaybeyouwon’t。Hereyeswentaroundlikeacatthatsmellsmice。Ifshecanspellthelanguagesheuses，sheisthebestwe’veeverhad。“
Thatmadeusblink，andIneverforgotit。Manytimesafterwardwhilelisteningtopeopletalk，Iwonderediftheycouldspellthewordstheyused。
“Well，comeon，then！“saidLeon。HeseizedthebroomandhandedittoBillyWilson，quotingashedidso，“Work，work，myboy，benotafraid“；andhetoldSilasShawashegavehimthemop，to“Looklabourboldlyintheface！“butheneverdidathinghimself，excepttokeepeveryonelaughing。
Sowecleanedupaswellaswecould，andLeonstruttedlikeBobby，becausehelockedthedoorandcarriedthekey。WhenwereachedhomeIwassorryIhadn’tgonewithfather，soIcouldhaveseenmother，Sally，Candace，andLaddiewhenfirsttheymetthenewteacher。Theshockshowedyet！MissAmeliahadtakenoffhersmotherywoollendressandputonablackcalico，butitwasn’tanymorecheerful。Shedidn’tknowwhattodo，andyoucouldseeplainlythatnooneknewwhattodowithher，sotheyunitedinsendingmetoshowhertheplace。Iaskedherwhatshewouldlikemosttosee，andshesaideverythingwassocharmingshecouldn’tdecide。Ithoughtifshehadnomorechoicethanthat，oneplacewoulddoaswellasanother，soIstartedfortheorchard。Quickaswegotthere，Iknewwhattodo。Iledherstraighttoourbestclingpeachtree，toldhertoclimbonthefencesoshecouldreacheasily，andeatallshechose。Wedidn’tdareshakethetree，becausethepigsranontheothersideofthefence，andtheychankedupeverypeachthatfellthere。Thosepeachesweretoogoodtofeedevenfather’sfinestBerkshires。
BythetimeMissAmeliahadeatennineorten，shewassohappytothinkshewasthere，shequittiltingherheadandusingbigwords。Ofcourseshecouldn’tknowhowIlovedtohearthem，andmaybeshethoughtIwouldn’tknowwhattheymeant，andthattheywouldbewastedonme。IfshehadunderstoodhowmuchspellinganddefiningI’dheardinmylife，Iguessshemighthavetalkedupasbigasshecould，andstillI’dhavegotmostofit。Whenshereachedtheplacewheresheatemoreslowly，shebegantotalk。Shemusthaveaskedmemostahundredquestions。Whatallournameswere，howoldwewere，ifourgirlshadlotsofbeaus，andifthereweremanymenintheneighbourhood，anddozensofthingsmymotherneveraskedanyone。Shealwaysinquiredifpeoplewerewell，iftheircropsweregrowing，howmuchfruittheyhad，andhowneartheirquiltswerefinished。
ItoldherallaboutSallyandthewedding，becausenoonecaredwhoknewit，afterIhadbeenpoundedtomince-meatfortelling。
SheaskedifShelleyhadanybeaus，andIsaidtherewasn’tanyonewhocamelikePeter，buteverymanintheneighbourhoodwantedtobeherbeau。ThensheaskedaboutLaddie，andIwastakingnorisks，soIsaid：“Ionlyseehimathome。Idon’tknowwherehegoeswhenhe’saway。You’llhavetoaskhim。“
“Oh，Ineverwoulddare，“shesaid。“Buthemust。Heissohandsome！Thegirlswouldjustcompelhimtogotoseethem。“
“Notifhedidn’twanttogo，“Isaid。
“Youmustnever，nevertellhimIsaidso，butIdothinkheisthehandsomestmanIeversaw。“
“SodoI，“Isaid，“anditwouldn’tmakeanydifferenceifItoldhim。“
“Thendoyoumeanyou’regoingtotellhimmyfoolishremark？“
shegiggled。
“Nouse，“Isaid。“Heknowsitnow。Everytimehepartshishairheseeshowgoodlookingheis。Hedoesn’tcare。Hesaystheonlythingthatcountswithamanistobebig，strong，manly，andwelleducated。“
“Ishewelleducated？“
“Yes，Ithinkso，asfarashe’sgone，“Ianswered。“Ofcoursehewillgoonbeingeducatedeverydayofhislife，sameasfather。Hesaysitisallrotabout`finishing’youreducation。
Youneverdo。Youlearnmoreimportantthingseachday，andbythetimeyouareoldenoughtodie，youhavealmostenoughsensetoknowhowtolivecomfortably。Pity，isn’tit？“
“Yes，“saidMissAmelia，“it’sanawfulpity，butit’sthetruth。
Isyourmotherbeingeducatedtoo？“
“Wholefamily，“Isaid。“Welearnallthetime，mothermostofany，becausefatheralwayslooksoutforher。Yousee，ittakessomuchofhertimetomanagethehouse，andsew，andknit，anddarn，thatshecan’tstudysomuchastheothers；sofatherreadsallthebookstoher，andtellsherabouteverythinghefindsout，andsodoallofus。Justaskherifyouthinkshedoesn’tknowthings。“
“Iwouldn’tknowwhattoask，“saidMissAmelia。
“Askhowlongittooktomakethisworld，whoinventedprinting，whereEnglishwasfirstspoken，whyGreeleychangedhispolitics，howtomakebluebellperfumery，cutoutadress，orcureababyofworms。Justaskher！“
MissAmeliathrewapeachstonethroughafencecrackandhitapig。Itwasaprettyneatshot。
“Idon’tneedaskanyofthat，“shesaidscornfully。“Iknowallofitnow。“
“Allright！Whatisbestforworms？“Iasked。
“Jayne’svermifuge，“saidMissAmelia。
“Wrong！“Icried。“That’sapatentmedicine。Teamadefrommalefernrootisbest，becausethere’snomorphineinit！“
ThesupperbellrangandIwasgladofit。Peachesarenotveryfillingafterall，forIcouldn’tseebutthatMissAmeliaateasmuchasanyofus。Forafewminuteseveryonewasslowinspeaking，thenmotheraskedaboutcleaningtheschoolhouse，Laddiehadsomethingtoexplaintofatheraboutcornmould，Sallyandthedressmakertalkedaboutpipings——notabird——anewwaytofoldgoodstomaketrimmings，andsooneverythingwasgoingonthesameasifthenewteacherwerenotthere。Inoticedthatshekeptherheadstraight，andwasnotnearlysoglib-tonguedandbirdlikebeforemotherandSallyasshehadbeenattheschoolhouse。Maybethatwaswhyfathertoldmotherthatnightthatthenewteacherwouldbearacquaintance。
SundaywaslikeeveryotherSabbath，exceptthatIfeltsosadalldayIcouldhavecried，butIwasnotgoingtodoit。SeemedasifInevercouldputonshoes，andsomanyclothesMondaymorning，quitelikechurch，andbeshutinaroomforhours，totrytolearnwhatwasinbooks，whentheworldwasrunningoverwiththingstofindoutwhereyoucouldhaveyourfeetinwater，leavesinyourhair，andlittlelivingcreaturesinyourhands。
IntheafternoonMissAmeliaaskedLaddietotakeherforawalktoseethecreek，andthebarn，andhecouldn’tescape。
Isupposeourbarnwasexactlylikehundredsofothers。Itwasbuiltagainstanembankmentsothatononesideyoucoulddriverightonthethreshingfloorwithbigloadsofgrain。Onthesunnysideinthelowerpartwerethesheeppens，cattlestalls，andhorsemangers。Itwasalwayshalfburstingwithoverflowinggrainbinsandhayloftsinthefall；theswallowstwitteredundertheroofuntiltimetogosouthforwinter，astheysailedfromtheventilatorstotheirnestsplasteredagainsttheraftersoreaves。Thebigswingingdoorsfrontandbackcouldbeopenedtoletthewindblowthroughinastrongdraft。Fromtheeastdoorsyoucouldseeformilesacrossthecountry。
Isaidourbarnwaslikeothers，butitwasnot。Therewasnotanotherlikeitinthewholeworld。Father，theboys，andthehiredmenalwayskeptitcleanedandinpropershapeeveryday。
Theupperfloorwasasneatassomewomen’shouses。Itwasswept，thesunshonein，thewindsdriftedthrough，theodoursofdryinghayandgrainwereheavy，andfromthetopofthenaturallittlehillagainstwhichitstoodyoucouldseeformilesinalldirections。
ThebarnwasourgreatplayhouseonSundays。Itwascleanthere，wewerewherewecouldbecalledwhenwanted，andwelikedtoclimbtheladderstothetopofthehaymows，walkthebeamstothegranaries，andjumptothehay。OnedayMaycamedownonasnakethathadbeenbroughtinwithaload。Icanhearheryellnow，anditmadehersofranticshe’sbeenkillingthemeversince。Itwasonlyaharmlesslittlegartersnake，butshewassosurprised。
MissAmeliaheldherheadverymuchononesideallthetimeshewalkedwithLaddie，andshewassobirdlikeLeonslippedhimabrickandtoldhimtohaveherholdittokeepherdown。Seemedasifshemightflyanyminute。Shethoughtourbarnwasthenicestsheeverhadseenandthecleanest。WhenLaddieopenedthedoorsontheeastside，andshecouldseethebig，red，yellow，andgreenapplesthickasleavesonthetreesintheorchard，thelane，thewoodspasture，andthemeadowwithscatteringtrees，tworunningsprings，andthemeetingofthecreeks，shesaiditwastheloveliestsightsheeversaw——Imeanbeheld。Laddielikedthat，sohetoldheraboutthebeautifultown，andthelake，andtheWabashRiver，thatourcreekemptiedinto，andhowpeoplecamefromotherstatesandbigcitiesandstayedallsummertofish，row，swim，andhavegoodtimes。
Sheaskedhimtotakehertothemeadow，butheexcusedhimself，becausehehadanengagement。Soshestoodinthedoor，andwatchedhimsaddleFlosandstarttothehousetodressinhisridingclothes。Afterthatshedidn’tcareathingaboutthemeadow，sowewentback。
Ourhouselookedasifwehadaparty。Wewerealldressedinourbest，andeveryonewasoutintheyard，garden，ororchard。
PeterandSallywereunderthebigpearmainappletreeatthefootoftheorchard，Shelleyandahalfdozenbeauswereeverywhere。MayhadherspellingbookinonehandandwasinmybigcatalpatalkingtoBillyStevens，whowasgoingtobeherbeauassoonasmothersaidshewasoldenough。Fatherwasreadingawonderfulnewbooktomotherandsomeoftheneighbours。Leonwasperfectlyhappybecausenoonewantedhim，sohecouldteaseallofthembysayingthingstheydidn’tliketohear。WhenLaddiecameoutandmounted，Leonaskedhimwherehewasgoing，andLaddiesaidhehadn’tfullydecided：hemightridetoElizabeth’s，andnotcomebackuntilMondaymorning。
“Youthinkyou’reprettyslick，“saidLeon。“Butifwecouldseenorthtothecrossroadwecouldwatchyouturnwest，andgopastPryorstoshowyourselfoff，ortrytofindthePrincessontheroadwalkingorriding。IknowsomethingI’msavingtotellnexttimeyougetsmart，Mr。Laddie。“
LaddieseemedannoyedandnoonewasquickertoseeitthanLeon。
Instantlyhejumpedonthehorseblock，pulleddownhisfacelongashecould，stretchedhishandstowardLaddie，andmakinghisvoiceallwaveryandtremulous，hebeganrecitingfrom“Lochiel’sWarning，“intonesofagonizingpleading：
“Laddie，Laddie，bewareoftheday！
For，darkanddespairing，mysight，Imayseal，ButmancannotcoverwhatGodwouldreveal；
’Tisthesunsetoflifegivesmemysticallore，Andcomingeventscasttheirshadowsbefore。“
Thatscaredme。IbeggedLeontotell，buthewouldn’tsayawordmore。HewentandtalkedtoMissAmeliaasfriendlyasyouplease，andaskedhertotakeawalkintheorchardandgetsomepeaches，andshewentflying。HegotherallshecouldcarryandguidedhertoPeterandSally，introducedhertoPeter，andthenslippedawayandlefther。ThenheandSallycouldn’ttalkabouttheirwedding，andPetercouldn’tsqueezeherhand，andshecouldn’tfixhistie，anditwasawful。Shelleyandherboysalmostlaughedthemselvessickoverit，andthenshecried，“Totherescue！“andstarted，sotheyfollowed。TheycapturedMissAmeliaandbroughtherback，andleftherwithfatherandthewonderfulbook，butI’msureshelikedtheorchardbetter。
ItookGraceGreenwoodundermyarm，Hezekiahonmyshoulder，andwithBobbyatmyheelswentaway。Ididn’twantmyhairpulled，ortobeteasedthatday。Therewassuchahardnessaroundmyheart，andsuchalumpinmythroat，thatIdidn’tcarewhathappenedtomeoneminute，andthenextIknewI’dslapanyonewhoteasedme，ifIweresenttobedforit。AsIwentdownthelanePetercalledtometocomeandseehim，butIknewexactlyhowhelooked，anddidn’tproposetomakeup。TherewasnotanysenseinSallyclawingmeallover，whenIonlytriedtohelpmotherandLucyfindoutwhattheywantedtoknowsobadly。I