Mr. Mertzheimer, whose august dignity had been unpardonably offended,
lost no time in seeing the other directors of the Crow Hill school. He
mentioned nothing about the real grievance against Amanda, but played
upon the slender string of her inefficiency, as talked about by the
patrons. He presented the matter so tactfully that several of the men
were convinced he spoke from a deep conviction that the interests of
the community were involved and that in all fairness to the pupils of
that rural school a new, competent teacher should be secured for the
ensuing term. One director, being a man with the unfortunate addiction
of being easily swayed by the opinions of others, was readily convinced
by the plausible arguments of Mr. Mertzheimer that Amanda Reist was
utterly unfit for the position she held.
When all the directors had been thus casually imbued with antagonism,
or, at least, suspicion, Mr. Mertzheimer went home, chuckling. He felt
elated at the clever method he had taken to uphold the dignity of his
son and punish the person who had failed to rightly respect that
dignity. In a few weeks the County Superintendent of Schools would make
his annual visit to Crow Hill, and if "a bug could be put in his ear"
and he be influenced to show up the flaws in the school, everything
would be fine! "Fine as silk," thought Mr. Mertzheimer. He knew a girl
near Landisville who was a senior at Millersville and would be glad to
teach a school like Crow Hill. He'd tell her to apply for the position.
It would take about five minutes to put out that independent Amanda
Reist and vote in the other girl--it just takes some people to plan!
He, Mr. Mertzheimer, had planned it! Probably in his limited education
he had never read that sententious line regarding what often happens to
the best laid plans of mice and men!
The Saturday following Mr. Mertzheimer's perfection of his plans Millie
came home from market greatly excited.
"Manda, Manda, come here once!" she called as she set her empty baskets
on the kitchen table. "Just listen," she said to the girl, who came
running. "I heard something to-day! That old Mertzheimer--he--he--oh,
yea, why daren't I swear just this once! I'm that mad! That old
Mertzheimer and the young one ought to be tarred and feathered!"
"Why, Millie!" said Amanda, smiling at the unwonted agitation of the
hired girl. "What's happened?"
"Well, this mornin' two girls came to my stall and while they was
standin' there and I waited on some other lady, they talked. One asked
the other if she was goin' to teach next year, and what do you think
she said--that a Mr. Mertzheimer had told her to apply for the Crow
Hill school, that they wanted a new teacher there for another year! I
didn't say nothin' to them or let on that I know the teacher of that
school, but I thought a heap. So, you see, that sneakin' man is goin'
to put you out if he at all can do it. And just because you won't take
up with that pretty boy of his! Them Mertzheimer people think they own
whole Crow Hill and can run everybody in it to suit themselves."