Mr Morton's Problems Begin To Grow

 The story of Mr. Morton and his struggle to teach in a community whose nature he never knew continues:

 Mr. Morton never gained  control of his school.  On days when Bob and Elmo were absent there was a small semblance of work.  Fortunately those days became more frequent as August became September and September became October.  But the long recess was an ingrained part of the school day.

            Mr. Morton never came out of the building during recess. Most days he shut himself in the small book closet at the back of the room.

            There were times when Opal felt sorry for Mr. Morton. But every time she was on the verge of saying so some classmate near enough to overhear stopped her.  Finally she recruited Jeannette as an ally and the two of them slipped away from the dodge-ball game. They would be nice.  From just inside the front door they saw Inez at the book closet door, her back to them.  Then they heard the exchange.

            "Inez, can I help you?" Mr. Morton asked.

            "I thought, if you wanted me to, I could clean the blackboard and put out new chalk."

            "Thank you, Inez.  I'd appreciate that.  I was just getting ready to call everybody back in.  But we'll wait until you've cleaned the board."  He turned away from her, picked up a book and began to examine its damaged spine.  Inez stayed planted in the door.  He turned, "Is there something else?"

            In one quick movement she was inside the closet door.  "Don't you know, Mr. Morton?"

            Mr. Morton pushed her back out the door.  "Oh you need chalk, don't you?" As he held out his hand with six pieces of chalk, Inez clasped both her hands around his arm. "This should be enough."  He pulled back his hand still holding the chalk.

            Inez stepped toward  him. Her arms were around his waist. "Mr. Morton, can't you see I'm not a little girl anymore.  I'm a woman now.  And ever since the first I laid eyes on you I knowed-- and you jest keep treatin' me like a little girl.  Can't you see I'm a woman?"

            Opal and Jeannette shrank back and watched as Inez tightened her grasp. Finally he twisted free and stepped out of the closet and stood face to face with Opal and Jeannette. Inez turned, "You saw what he did to me didn't you?'  First Jeannette and then Opal shook their heads.

 To be continued;