Emily's Place [antikvár]

atut;1885 Harper, KansasEmily St. John pulled on the schoolhouse door with a firm-ness that wasn't quite necessary to close it. The fmality of the action brought a smile to her lips. She fastened the lock and slipped the key into her beaded purse.Turning away, she took a large gulp of fresh, late spring air. She couldn't help but be amazed at how much better the sim-ple act of shutting out the responsibility and drudgery of teaching made her feel. Lord willing, that door wouldn't be opened again until the beginning of next termnot by her hands, anyway.Her steps remained light and quick as she began the short walk to the mercantile. The grass looked greener, the prairie flowers more lovely; and it seemed as though the birds sere-naded her, no doubt sensing her relief.No more schoolchildren for months, she thought gleefully. Then a sudden touch of guilt wiggled inside of her. The prob-lem wasn't the children at all, she had to admit, but their teacher. The last five years had proven the worst of her life.The town nearly burst with pride when she'd returned from a year of training at Emporia Normal School with a teaching certificate to her creditthe only schoolmarm in Harper ever to attend school specifically for the position. It proved Harper, Kansas, was becoming a real town.Emily figured it was just one more instance of life taking her where she didn't necessarily want to go. She'd gone because it was expected of her. An orphan, she was grateful that Aunt Cassidy brought her from Missouri to Kansas when Aunt Cass