yourself at once. Your salary will be $750 a year, and you will be
allowed $200 for expenses in procuring specimens and books. Let us know
at once if you want the position, as it is going to be difficult to fill
satisfactorily if you do not.

Very truly yours,

DAVID THOMPSON, President, Onabasha Schools.


"I hardly understand," marvelled Mrs. Comstock.

"It is a new position. They never have had anything like it before. I
suspect it arose from the help I've been giving the grade teachers in
their nature work. They are trying to teach the children something, and
half the instructors don't know a blue jay from a king-fisher, a beech
leaf from an elm, or a wasp from a hornet."

"Well, do you?" anxiously inquired Mrs. Comstock.

"Indeed, I do!" laughed Elnora, "and several other things beside. When
Freckles bequeathed me the swamp, he gave me a bigger inheritance than
he knew. While you have thought I was wandering aimlessly, I have been
following a definite plan, studying hard, and storing up the stuff that
will earn these seven hundred and fifty dollars. Mother dear, I am going
to accept this, of course. The work will be a delight. I'd love it most
of anything in teaching. You must help me. We must find nests, eggs,
leaves, queer formations in plants and rare flowers. I must have flower
boxes made for each of the rooms and filled with wild things. I should
begin to gather specimens this very day."