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."