Fifty-Five Years Old; And Other Stories about Teachers (Paperback)

This historic book may have numerous typos and missing text. Purchasers can usually download a free scanned copy of the original book (without typos) from the publisher. Not indexed. Not illustrated. 1904 edition. Excerpt: ... FIFTY-FIVE YEARS OLD I "Did they raise your salary, papa?" Miriam called out from her bed, as she heard her father come in from the board meeting. "No, my daughter," he replied in cheerful tone; "the fact is, I--I didn't ask them to." "Of course not," said Mrs. Pembroke, fretfully. "You know well enough that Hatfield pays-eleven hundred and Primrose twelve hundred, neither school as large as this, and yet you stay here year after year for a thousand.' (9) "Well, you see, Sara," Paul Pembroke said deprecatingly, "this--this is not a good year to ask for an advance. We have had to put in a new furnace, and to increase the salaries of some of the grade teachers to keep them from going elsewhere. I really did not feel that it was wise to bring up the matter." "No, there is always some reason why it isn't wise to stand up for your rights," returned Mrs. Pembroke bitterly. "And here we are with a mortgage on the house and not a dollar paid on it or saved to pay on it. You are not just to your family, Paul Pembroke." "O mamma, don't say that," pleaded Miriam. "You know why papa couldn't save any money. Think of the years I have lain here helpless, doctor's bills all the while, and those two expensive operations that alas did so little for me. I am the one to blame, not papa." "You, my angel?" cried her father, bending over her and caressing her hair. "As though what we have done for you were anything to what you have suffered; as though you were not our comfort, our joy--our refuge," he added, burying his face in the pillow beside her. "No," said her mother, still fretfully, "we regret nothing about your affliction except what it costs you; but what it costs us could be easily borne if only your father would insist on being paid what he earns....