CHAPTER IX
TRANSITION
The change from the road to the school-room was not without many astruggle on Sandy's part. The new life, the new customs, and thestrange language, were baffling.
The day after the accident in the road, Mrs. Hollis had sent him toinquire how old Mrs. Nelson was, and he had returned with theastonishing report that she was sixty-one.
"But you didn't ask her age?" cried Mrs. Hollis, horrified.
Sandy looked perplexed. "I said what ye bid me," he declared.
Everything he did, in fact, seemed to be wrong; and everything hesaid, to bring a smile. He confided many a woe to Aunt Melvy as hesat on the kitchen steps in the evenings.
"Hit's de green rubbin' off," she assured him sympathetically. "Desame ones dat laugh at you now will be takin' off dey hats to you someday."
"Oh, it ain't the guyin' I mind," said Sandy; "it's me wooden head.Them little shavers that can't see a hole in a ladder can beat mefigurin'."
"You jus' keep on axin' questions," advised Aunt Melvy. "Dat's what Ialways tole Rachael. Rachael's dat yaller gal up to Mrs. Nelson's. Idone raise her, an' she ain't a bit o'count. I use' ter say, 'You foolnigger, how you ebber gwine learn nothin' effen you don't axquestions?' An' she'd stick out her mouth an' say, 'Umph, umph; youdon't ketch me lettin' de white folks know how much sense I ain'tgot.' Den she'd put on a white dress an' a white sunbonnet an' goswitchin' up de street, lookin' jus' lak a fly in a glass obbuttermilk."
"It's the mixed-up things that bother me," said Sandy. "Mr. Moseleywas telling of us to-day how ye lost a day out of the week when yewent round the world one way, and gained a day when ye went round theother."
Aunt Melvy paused with the tea-towel in her hand. "Lost a day outen deweek? Where'd he say you lost it at?"
Sandy shook his head in perplexity.
"Dat's plumb foolishness," said Aunt Melvy, indignantly. "I'ses'prised at Mr. Moseley, I sholy is. Dey sorter gits notions, demteachers does. When dey tells you stuff lak dat, honey, don't you pay'em no mind."
But Sandy did "pay 'em mind." He followed Aunt Melvy's advice aboutasking questions, and wrestled with each new proposition until hemastered it. It did not take him long, moreover, to distinguish thedifference between himself and those about him. The words and phrasesthat had passed current on the street seemed to ring false here. Hewatched the judge covertly and took notes.
His progress at the academy was a singular succession of triumphs andfailures. His natural quickness, together with an enthusiasticambition to get on, enabled him soon to take his place among the boysof his own age. But a superabundance of high spirits and an inordinatelove of fun caused many a dark entry on the debit side of his schoolledger. There were many times when he exasperated the judge to thelimit of endurance, for he was reckless and impulsive, charged to theexploding-point with vitality, and ever and always the victim of hislast caprice; but when it came to the final issue, and the judge put aquestion fairly before him, the boy was always on the side of right,even though it proved him guilty.
At first Mrs. Hollis had been strongly opposed to his remaining on thefarm, but she soon became silent on the subject. It was a heretoforeunknown luxury to have the outside work promptly and efficientlyattended to. He possessed "the easy grace that makes a joke of toil";and when he despatched his various chores and did even more than wasrequired of him, Mrs. Hollis capitulated.
It was something more, however, than his ability and service that wonher. The affection of the world, which seemed to eddy around her, as arule, found an exception in Sandy. His big, exuberant nature made nodistinction: he swept over her, sharp edges and all; he teased her,coaxed her, petted her, laughed at her, turned her tirades with a bitof blarney, and in the end won her in spite of herself.
"He's ketchin' on," reported Aunt Melvy, confidently. "I heared himputtin' on airs in his talk. When dey stops talkin' nachel, den Iknows dey are learnin' somethin'."