On the very next Friday after this"dreadfullest fight that ever was seen," asBunyan says in Pilgrim's Progress, there weregreat doings in the little schoolhouse on the hill.
Friday afternoon was always the time chosen fordialogues, songs, and recitations, but it cannot bestated that it was a gala day in any true sense ofthe word. Most of the children hated "speakingpieces;" hated the burden of learning them,dreaded the danger of breaking down in them.
Miss Dearborn commonly went home with a headache,and never left her bed during the rest of theafternoon or evening; and the casual female parentwho attended the exercises sat on a front benchwith beads of cold sweat on her forehead, listeningto the all-too-familiar halts and stammers. Sometimesa bellowing infant who had clean forgotten hisverse would cast himself bodily on the maternalbosom and be borne out into the open air, where hewas sometimes kissed and occasionally spanked;but in any case the failure added an extra dashof gloom and dread to the occasion. The adventof Rebecca had somehow infused a new spiritinto these hitherto terrible afternoons. She hadtaught Elijah and Elisha Simpson so that theyrecited three verses of something with such comicaleffect that they delighted themselves, the teacher,and the school; while Susan, who lisped, had beenprovided with a humorous poem in which sheimpersonated a lisping child. Emma Jane andRebecca had a dialogue, and the sense of companionshipbuoyed up Emma Jane and gave her self-reliance. In fact, Miss Dearborn announced onthis particular Friday morning that the exercisespromised to be so interesting that she had invitedthe doctor's wife, the minister's wife, two membersof the school committee, and a few mothers. LivingPerkins was asked to decorate one of the black-boards and Rebecca the other. Living, who wasthe star artist of the school, chose the map of NorthAmerica. Rebecca liked better to draw thingsless realistic, and speedily, before the eyes of theenchanted multitude, there grew under her skillfulfingers an American flag done in red, white,and blue chalk, every star in its right place, everystripe fluttering in the breeze. Beside thisappeared a figure of Columbia, copied from the topof the cigar box that held the crayons.
Miss Dearborn was delighted. "I propose wegive Rebecca a good hand-clapping for such abeautiful picture--one that the whole school maywell be proud of!"The scholars clapped heartily, and Dick Carter,waving his hand, gave a rousing cheer.
Rebecca's heart leaped for joy, and to herconfusion she felt the tears rising in her eyes. Shecould hardly see the way back to her seat, for inher ignorant lonely little life she had never beensingled out for applause, never lauded, nor crowned,as in this wonderful, dazzling moment. If "noblenessenkindleth nobleness," so does enthusiasmbeget enthusiasm, and so do wit and talent enkindlewit and talent. Alice Robinson proposed thatthe school should sing Three Cheers for the Red,White, and Blue! and when they came to thechorus, all point to Rebecca's flag. Dick Cartersuggested that Living Perkins and Rebecca Randallshould sign their names to their pictures, sothat the visitors would know who drew them. HuldahMeserve asked permission to cover the largestholes in the plastered walls with boughs and fill thewater pail with wild flowers. Rebecca's mood wasabove and beyond all practical details. She satsilent, her heart so full of grateful joy that shecould hardly remember the words of her dialogue.
At recess she bore herself modestly, notwithstandingher great triumph, while in the general atmosphereof good will the Smellie-Randall hatchet wasburied and Minnie gathered maple boughs and coveredthe ugly stove with them, under Rebecca'sdirection.
Miss Dearborn dismissed the morning sessionat quarter to twelve, so that those who lived nearenough could go home for a change of dress.
Emma Jane and Rebecca ran nearly every step ofthe way, from sheer excitement, only stopping tobreathe at the stiles.
"Will your aunt Mirandy let you wear your best,or only your buff calico?" asked Emma Jane.
"I think I'll ask aunt Jane," Rebecca replied.
"Oh! if my pink was only finished! I left auntJane making the buttonholes!""I'm going to ask my mother to let me wearher garnet ring," said Emma Jane. "It would lookperfectly elergant flashing in the sun when I pointto the flag. Good-by; don't wait for me goingback; I may get a ride."Rebecca found the side door locked, but sheknew that the key was under the ............