The Project Gutenberg eBook, Autumn, by Robert Nathan

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Title: Autumn

Author: Robert Nathan

Release Date: March 30, 2006 [eBook #18079]

Language: English

Character set encoding: ISO-646-US (US-ASCII)

***START OF THE PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK AUTUMN***

E-text prepared by Al Haines

AUTUMN

by

ROBERT NATHAN

New York
Robert M. McBride & Company
Copyright, 1921
by Robert M. McBride & Company

TO D. M. N., AND TO OUR

FRIEND HERBERT FEIS

CONTENTS

CHAPTER

I Mrs. Grumble
II School Lets Out
III The Barlys
IV Mr. Jeminy Builds A house Out of Boxes
V Rain
VI Harvest
VII Mrs. Grumble Goes to the Fair
VIII The Turn of the Year
IX The Schoolmaster Leaves Hillsboro,
His Work There Seemingly at an End
X But He is Sought After All
XI And is Found in Good Hands
XII Mrs. Wicket

I

MRS. GRUMBLE

On Sunday the church bells of Hillsboro rang out across the ripening
fields with a grave and holy sound, and again at evening knocked
faintly, with quiet sorrow, at doors where children watched for the
first star, to make their wishes. Night came, and to the croaking of
frogs, the moon rose over Barly Hill. In the early morning the grass,
still wet with dew, chilled the bare toes of urchins on their way to
school where, until four o'clock, the tranquil voice of Mr. Jeminy
disputed with the hum of bees, and the far off clink of the
blacksmith's forge in the village.

At four o'clock Mr. Jeminy, with a sigh, gathered his books together.
He sighed because he was old, and because the day's work was done. He
arose from his seat, and taking up his stick, passed out between the
benches and went slowly down the road.

It was a warm spring day; the air was drowsy and filled with the scent
of flowers. A thrush sang in the woods, where Mr. Jeminy heard before
him the light voices of children. He thought: "How happy they are."
And he smiled at his own fancies which, like himself, were timid and
kind.

But gradually, as the afternoon shadows began to lengthen, he grew sad.
It seemed to him as if the world, strange and contrary during the day,
were again as it used