A Daughter of the Land

Once she sat looking far across the beautiful lake with such an

expression on her face that Mrs. Jardine said to her: "What are

you thinking of, my dear?"

Kate said smilingly: "Oh, I was thinking of what a wonderful

school I shall teach this winter."

"Tell me what you mean," said Mrs. Jardine.

"Why, with even a month of this, I shall have riches stored for

every day of the year," said Kate. "None of my pupils ever saw a

lake, that I know of. I shall tell them of this with its shining

water, its rocky, shady, sandy shore lines; of the rowboats and

steam-boats, and the people from all over the country. Before I

go back, I can tell them of wonderful lectures, concerts,

educational demonstrations here. I shall get much from the

experiences of other teachers. I shall delight my pupils with

just you."

"In what way?" asked Mrs. Jardine.

"Oh, I shall tell them of a dainty little woman who know

everything. From you I shall teach my girls to be simple,

wholesome, tender, and kind; to take the gifts of God thankfully,

reverently, yet with self-respect. From you I can tell them what

really fine fabrics are, and about laces, and linens. When the

subjects arise, as they always do in teaching, I shall describe

each ring you wear, each comb and pin, even the handkerchiefs you

carry, and the bags you travel with. To teach means to educate,

and it is a big task; but it is almost painfully interesting.

Each girl of my school shall go into life a gentler, daintier

woman, more careful of her person and speech because of my having

met you. Isn't that a fine thought?"

"Why, you darling!" cried Mrs. Jardine. "Life is always having

lovely things in store for me. Yesterday I thought Susette's

leaving me as she did was the most cruel thing that ever happened

to me. To-day I get from it this lovely experience. If you are

straight from sunbonnets, as you told me last night, where did you

get these advanced ideas?"

"If sunbonnets could speak, many of them would tell of surprising

heads they have covered," laughed Kate. "Life deals with women

much the same as with men. If we go back to where we start,

history can prove to you that there are ten sunbonnets to one

Leghorn hat, in the high places of the world."

"Not to entertain me, but because I am interested, my dear, will

you tell me about your particular sunbonnet?" asked Mrs. Jardine.

Kate sat staring across the blue lake with wide eyes, a queer

smile twisting her lips. At last she said slowly: "Well, then,

my sunbonnet is in my trunk. I'm not so far away from it but that

it still travels with me. It's blue chambray, made from pieces

left from my first pretty dress. It is ruffled, and has white

stitching. I made it myself. The head that it fits is another

matter. I didn't make that, or its environment, or what was

taught it, until it was of age, and had worked out its legal time

of service to pay for having been a head at all. But my head is

now free, in my own possession, ready to go as fast and far on the

path of life as it develops the brains to carry it. You'd smile

if I should tell you what I'd ask of life, if I could have what I

want."