by Mary Wingfield Bell
Chapter Three -
"Please, Grandma," begged Delight. "I like school. I don't
want to get behind on my lessons. I miss the kids at school when I
have to stay home."
"Well, if the rain slacks," replied the old woman, "and
Grandpa drives you all the way to the school door, you may go."
By 8:15 Abner and Maggie appeared in their yellow rain
slickers and boots. By then the rain was only a light drizzle.
Grandpa started the car engine and then he came to get his
granddaughter.
He drove the three children to the Apple Hill Elementary
School which was about four miles.
Delight's grandfather went home, fed the chickens and played
with the dog. He took wood from his covered box on the back porch
and he began to carve.
"Comfort," he said, "I'm going to make Delight a statue for
her birthday next June. I will have to spend a lot of time on it.
The carving will be done while she is in school each day and maybe
sometimes when she is asleep at night."
"Good!" said Mrs. Capley. "What kind of statue will you make,
dear?"
"A statue of her running," replied Grandpa.
"Isn't that a bit hasty?" asked Grandma. "Is she ready for
that?"
"I think so," returned Mr. Capley. "I can't see how it will
hurt her."
It was raining heavy again. Delight sat looking out the school
window at the downpour. She had planned to visit her secret tree
today and it looked as if nature was changing her plans. There's
no way Grandma will let me outside today she thought.
"Delight, it is your turn to read," said Miss Rains, the
school teacher.
"I'm sorry, Miss Rains," Delight said, embarrassed. "I lost
the place." The girl really wanted to be a good student. It was
just that all she seemed to think of was the tree with the
grapevine swing.
"Page 27, third paragraph," said Miss Rains. "Now pay more
attention. You've seen rain before."
The boys and girls giggled.
"That's enough!" scolded Miss Rains. "Go ahead, Delight."
The girl pushed outside thoughts from her mind. She would pay
attention the rest of the day.
Soon lunch time arrived. Students who brought lunches from
home had to remain in the classroom. Seven children stayed in the
room while the others went with their teacher to the cafeteria.
Abner had brought his lunch in a brown paper bag so he was in
the room with Delight and five other youngsters.
For the first few minutes they all ate quietly. Then two boys
began acting up. They threw bread around the room.
"Quit it!" shouted Abner. "You'll get us all in trouble.
"Yeah, dummies, knock it off!" said Marcia.
Then Brett Bully and Cotton Grate got down in the aisle and
began to wrestle.
Delight was very uncomfortable. She had the last seat in the
row next to the wall where the aisle was wider. Nearby was the
door. How she wished that she could jump up and run out of the
room so she would not see what was happening.
"Please stop!" she cried out.
The boys paid no attention. Finally Brett's finger went into
Cotton's eye. Cotton got up quickly and went to his seat.
Delight wished that Miss Rains and the other students would
come back to the room. Something even worse might happen.
Something awful did happen. As Delight was finishing her
chocolate pudding Brett came by and grabbed the little pudding can
which was not quite empty.
Delight heard the teacher and the others coming up the back
steps to the hall. She was glad but before they reached the
classroom Brett dumped the rest of the pudding in Miss Rain's
chair.
"Brett, get in your seat!" shouted Miss Rains. "You were not
supposed to leave it while I was gone. And Cotton, what happened
to your eye? Go to the nurse right away!"
"Miss Rains! Miss Rains!" shouted Delight, waving her hands,
trying to warn her about the pudding but before she finished
talking the teacher sat in the chair.
Brett laughed. Abner and the others who had remained in the
room smiled. Delight looked worried.
"What can be that funny?" asked Miss Rains.
"I'm sorry, Miss Rains," said Delight. "It isn't funny. You
just sat in the chocolate pudding."
The rest of the class roared with laughter. About that time
the teacher felt the mess come through her skirt. Her lips curled
and she was very angry. With both hands she pulled her skirt
around until the stain was on the side. Now she was furious!
"I'm leaving the room to clean up," said Miss Rains. "Nella,
take names if anyone talks or leaves his seat." She left the room
in a hurry.
Oh no! She is gone again. I hope everything will be O.K.
Delight was much concerned.
In a few minutes the teacher returned. She had scrubbed her
skirt but some of the stain remained. The anger was still there.
"I know who was here when this happened," Miss Rains said,
naming the students.
"Abner, are you going to tell me?"
"No, I can't, Miss Rains," Abner replied.
"I see, you are afraid," the teacher then looked at Brett.
"Brett, did you do it?"
"No, Miss Rains," answered Brett.
"Marcia?"
"No, I don't want to get clobbered," declared Marcia.
"O.K., Cotton, you tell me who messed up my chair!" said the
teacher.
"Nope, I don't wanna die," said Cotton.
"So that's the way it is," Miss Rains continued. "No one wants
to tell but all of you know. Well - who had the pudding for
lunch?"
"It was my pudding," Delight said softly.
"Delight, you know the culprit," the teacher said with a
certainty. "Now tell me! I know you did not hop up here with your
crutches to mess up my skirt."
"I'm sorry, Miss Rains," said the Capley girl. "I just can't
tell."
Delight wanted the teacher to know that Brett was the offender
but she did not want the other students to call her a tattle-tale.
It was bad enough when Brett or Cotton called her Miss Four
Legs.
"All seven students who were in the room during lunch period
will be punished. You will write 500 times I AM NOT A GOOD
STUDENT. "
"Ah dandruff!" Abner complained.
Brett got dirty looks from the other six students.
"If you are not finished by recess, you will keep on writing,"
said Miss Rains.
Delight wrote all afternoon, stopping now and then to rest her
fingers. She did not finish her sentences by the end of school
day. The sentences would be finished at night and brought to
school the next day.
It was only slightly raining when school was dismissed.
Grandpa was at the door of the school waiting. Soon Abner and
Maggie joined Delight and her grandfather. The Canberry children
could have taken the bus but it would have been farther to go in
the rain. Grandpa did not mind; he was glad to take them home.
In the car Abner remarked that this was an awful school day.
Delight agreed. It had been a disaster as far as she was
concerned. She wished she had done as Grandma wanted her to do -
stay home. Then she would not have all the extra writing. The girl
was a good student and resented the fact that she had to write on
paper otherwise.
"We are going to watch television when we get home," said
Maggie. "Ma said we could."
"Is there something good to watch?" asked Delight.
"Oh, sure, it's a kid show," answered Abner. "It's the
afternoon special."
"Then I will watch television, also," Delight said. "I'm not
allowed to even play on the porch in rainy weather."
The old Plymouth automobile turned into Dogwood Hollow. The
trees and bushes were wet and clean. God had given everything a
shower bath.
When they got to the Capley house there was Popcorn standing
by the steps wagging his tail. The dog loved Delight but long ago
he learned to stay away from her crutches.
Abner and Maggie jumped from the car and ran home very fast.
Grandpa helped his granddaughter get into the house as quickly as
possible.
Grandma put a warm towel to Delight's long hair and helped her
out of the damp clothing.
"I'm O.K., Grandma," declared Delight. "Don't fuss so much.
Delight was soon sitting by the fire and watching television.
When supper was ready, she joined her grandparents in the
dining room. They held hands while Grandpa said the blessing. Then
Grandma asked about school.
"Oh, Grandma, please don't mention that word," Delight
said.
"Was it that bad?" asked Grandma.
Delight told about the pudding in the teacher's chair and the
punishment she shared. The girl hoped she would never have such a
school day again as long as she would live.
Grandma told Delight to finish the punishment papers and
forget about what had happened. "There will be good days,"
promised Grandma.
By the time the old woman had put the last dish in the
cupboard and wiped the stove, Delight had written her last
sentence - I AM NOT A GOOD STUDENT.
"Hooray!" Delight said with relief. "I'm finished with that
mess."
"Now, it's bath time," reminded Grandma. She helped Delight
bathe and get into night clothes.
"Next year," said Delight, "I am going to bathe in the
bathroom just like you and Grandpa. I will do it all by myself.
Just you wait and see."
"The bathroom is a chilly place," said Grandma. "Maybe Grandpa
will buy a heater next year. It is so nice and warm here in the
kitchen."
"Yes, it is very nice," agreed Delight.
Darkness had settled in on Dogwood Hollow. It was a calm, cool
night outside. Most of nature had gone to bed for the night. Mr.
and Mrs. Capley were ready to sit by the fireside and rest.
Grandpa read the paper. Delight kissed Grandpa and then she kissed
Grandma good-night.
"Remember your prayers, dear," Grandma always said that.
Delight sat on the bed in her room brushing her long blond
hair and at the same time looking at the strange couple in the
picture on the vanity. It was a photo of her mother and father. To
her they were long ago and far away people. She tried to imagine
what her life would have been like if her parents had lived. She
would not have grown up in Dogwood Hollow. More than likely her
home would have been a brick house in Charleston.
I wonder what life is really like in the big cities. I will
ask Hiram and Hannah when they come to visit next summer she
thought.
The girl leaned from the bed and laid the brush on the vanity.
"Good-night Mama and Daddy," she said. "Someday I'll really get to
know you when I go to Heaven."
Delight turned out the light, pulled the covers close around
her and prayed.
Dear God, It was a bad day. I am glad you are there to listen
when things go wrong. Thank you for Grandpa and Grandma and the
grapevine tree. Now bless them and please take care of the
grapevine tree. I know that you will do that. I love you, amen.
When Grandma peeped in to see if Delight was covered for the
night, the girl was asleep.
"Bless Delight, dear Lord," whispered Grandma and she went
into the dining room where Grandpa was working. He had a block of
wood, a small chisel and carving knives. Mr. Capley had begun
carving the statue of Delight even though her birthday was months
away. He wanted the statue to be perfect and look exactly like his
granddaughter. While Grandpa was working with wood, Grandma
embroidered a new apron for herself. Soon they retired for the
night.
"Dear, it is raining too hard to go to school," said Grandma,
peeping into the bedroom.
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