Loving Liza Jane by Sharlene MacLaren

you finding everything you need, then?”
    “Yes, I believe so.”
    “I would imagine there aren’t nearly as many teaching supplies as you would like. Heaven knows I have tried to convince this town to do better in the way of supporting its school.”
    “We will make do.” There were plenty of stone slates and chalk, several reams of old paper, and a good supply of lead pencils. Liza had been happy to find that the majority of the textbooks were in decent shape. In the tall cupboard at the back of the room she had discovered a number of Comly’s Spellers, the Introduction to English Reader, plenty of arithmetic and geography books, and several penmanship books. Of course, they showed wear, but not one was missing pages.
    “I should think you would be comfortable in the winter. The stove is rather new, added when the building was built.” Mrs. Winthrop seemed especially proud of that fact. “The farmers tried to reinstall the old one, but at my insistence, the town purchased a new one. It only seemed fitting in light of the fact that the building was freshly built.”
    “I appreciate that, Mrs. Winthrop. It’s hard to believe on a hot day such as today that we will ever need a stove, but I’m sure we will.”
    “Our winters can grow very bitter, my dear. But I’m sure you’re used to that—coming from Boston.”
    “Yes.”
    “We don’t get much snow, but the frigid temperatures can be particularly loathsome.”
    The woman lingered, and Liza wondered if she had more to say. Not wanting to dismiss her intentionally, Liza merely picked up the wastebasket she’d earlier meant to carry outside.
    “Oh, I should also remind you that tomorrow is Sunday.”
    “Yes, I’m quite aware,” Liza replied.
    “You shan’t be working on the Lord’s Day, I would hope.”
    “Of course not.”
    “The service will be held here, as you know,” the woman said, lifting her shoulders.
    “Yes, I’ve been told.”
    “There are benches out in the building at the back of the property. At 7:00 a.m. several of the church elders will move the student desks to the back of the room and make way for the benches. I hope that won’t be too much of an inconvenience for you.”
    Liza offered up a smile but noted Mrs. Winthrop didn’t return one. “Not at all.”
    “I will be here to supervise, of course,” she added with a hint of authority.
    “Thank you. I appreciate that,” Liza said.
    “I would expect to see you in service, of course. After all, the teacher of Little Hickman has a reputation to uphold. But then, no doubt you recall all the rules of etiquette that you agreed to adhere to when you signed the contract.”
    “Naturally. I will do my best not to disappoint you.” Liza prayed her mounting irritation didn’t show.
    Mrs. Winthrop gave just a hint of a smile. “Well then, I suppose I should allow you to get back to work.” With that, she waved and headed out the door, seeming to leave a chilly draft in her wake.
    At suppertime, Liza locked up the schoolhouse, knowing that Mrs. Winthrop had a key with which to unlock the building for the elders in the morning. The neighborhood was peaceful and the main street quiet. Here and there, people passed her on the wooden sidewalk, nodded their greetings, offering warm smiles.
    Perhaps life in Little Hickman would be pleasant after all.

Chapter Seven
     
     
    Lili, it’s time we headed for town. Church will be starting in less than thirty minutes.”
    ��Is Reverend Miller going to preach today?” Lili bounded out of her room all smiles. Her hair ribbons were crooked again, but it couldn’t be helped. Ben had had a difficult time as it was getting both girls moving this morning. The uncanny heat of the night had seemed to steal away a good share of everyone’s sleep.
    “As far as I know,” he said with a smile.
    Reverend Miller had been circuit riding for well over fifty years. To Ben’s knowledge, the man serviced three other churches, traveling from one town