The Strip School Marm

De: L. Brooksby

Narrado por: Virtual Voice

Emily watched in consternation. Never in all her training did anyone explain to her how to handle a mob of angry parents. It looked like they’d be at each other’s throats, before long. Making up her mind she walked down the Isle between the seats and out the front door. If they wanted a teacher they better learn how to control themselves. As the door closed behind her, the ruckus inside stopped suddenly. Her steps took her out to the large popular tree standing off to the side. How in the world did she ever get tangled in this mess. The man who hired her never mentioned that the whole place needed a good talking too. No wonder Walt seemed so forceful this morning. From the looks of the ladies inside, he’d have his hands full with keeping order in the town. She sat down on a bench, placed under the tree. No sound could be heard from inside the school, even with the windows open to let in cool air. Her thinking stayed on the Sheriff and she decided she may need to borrow his bull whip if she stayed to teach school. Thoughts drifted in and out of her mind while she smelled the morning breeze. Solitude surrounded her, while she continued to puzzle over what to do now. It didn’t seem possible for her to stay and teach school under these conditions, yet she didn’t have any money with which to buy a ticket back to Washington. His words brought her out of her pondering. “I guess I should have warned you about what you’d be facing this morning, instead of talking about Neal.” Walt stood beside the bench. How he got there without her hearing him, she didn’t know, but the bullwhip lay curled in his hand. A rueful smile parted her lips. “You wouldn’t lend me that whip for a little while, would you?” A laugh filled the air. “Ma’m, if I thought it’d do any good, you could have it and I’d get me another one.” It seemed odd that he could laugh and joke with her. All she’d seen of him so far, made her think he ruled things with a stern face and a big whip. Now there appeared to be another side to him and she liked that side better. “Believe it or not, my father taught me how to use one of those a long time ago.” He handed her the whip. “Okay, see that horse biscuit setting there in the wagon rut. Let me see if you can split it into.” His smile said he didn’t think she could do it. She let the whip trail from her right hand. “You really don’t believe me, do you. Well I guess now’s as good as any to let those ladies looking out the school room windows see what their getting for a schoolmarm.” The tip of the whip moved up and down as she tested its placement. Suddenly it snaked out and with a loud popping sound cut the horse biscuit in equal parts. She pulled the whip lash back over her head and it snaked out again cutting the biscuit beside the first one right in the middle. Coiling the whip in her hand she handed it back to a stunned sheriff, who took it carefully. Then a smile spread across his face and his eyes twinkled. “By golly, I’ve never seen a woman pop a bull whip like that before. Your father must have been a good teacher. I don’t think after today, you’re going to have much trouble with teaching the young folks around here.” His chuckle floated in the breeze. Emily tried to keep her gaze from passing the school house. She really wanted to know what might be going on in there, after her little demonstration, but she hated to give them the satisfaction of knowing she might be concerned.