The Long Journey. Susan Wright
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water and placed on the hob by the fire.
‘Now Sarah, it is 9 a.m. please ring the bell.’
Sarah went out side and with a feeling of great importance she rang the bell. This was heard all over valley. Katherine went to the door to find the children lined up as she had asked. ‘Come inside children and be seated the smallest at the front.’
They filed past her, each a tiny bit nervous but all happy to be here. They smiled shyly at her as they went indoors. Katherine shut the door and walked to the front of the class. ‘Good morning children.’
‘Good morning Mrs Kruger.’ They said in unison as they had all been instructed by their mothers to do.
‘I would like to begin each day’s class by you all taking turn about at telling me a little about yourselves. Please write about the things you like and do not like. Tell me if you have any hobbies that you enjoy. If you all do that then I will get to know you all a little better. We will start with the oldest, so Sarah could you prepare something for tomorrow morning?’
‘Yes Mrs Kruger.’
‘Thank you Sarah. I thought today I would begin by telling you all something about myself.’ So the morning progressed. The children sat in awe as she told them about her life as a small child in England. Time passed quickly and Katherine became aware that the kettle was beginning to sing. She looked at her watch that she had pinned to her blouse and noted that it was 10:30 p.m.
‘Well, children it appears it is time for recess, you may go outside for ten minutes, and you are excused.’
There was a scraping of chair legs and shuffling as they went outside. Katherine then set up the mugs and put a teaspoon of Cocoa in each; she made herself a cup of tea and sat by the fire. After ten minutes she rang the bell and the children all filed once more inside and took their seats.
‘Now class I would like two of you to act as monitors for the week, who would like to do that?’
Hands went up, then down, then up again until Katherine said, ‘How about Rachel and Becky. I am going to make the Cocoa and I would like you two to pass out the mugs. The rest of the class I would like you to sit on the floor on the mat while I read you a story.’
The thought of a story obviously held appeal and so they sat on the mat and each was handed a mug of hot Cocoa by Rachel and Becky who were feeling rather important having this greatness thrust upon them. They all sat entranced while Katherine read to them. Later she said to Helmut, ‘I don’t think any of them have ever had a story read to them before.’
After this was finished and the empty mugs were taken out to the scullery they all sat back in their seats again to begin a writing lesson.
‘Now children please open your desks and take out your slates and chalk. I am going to write the letters of the alphabet on the blackboard and I would like you all to copy them.’
She got no further in the lesson as she heard the unmistakable voice of Florrie Brown.
‘I will scalp the backsides of the lot of ya if ya don’t get in there right blooming now.’
The door was flung unceremoniously open and this big dirty woman literally pushed in the three boys. To give her credit though she had made them wash, not a wash in a tub in front of a fire but stripped off and in the freezing cold river. When they had run home blue with cold and shivering they each had been given a very rough hair cut. This unfortunately did nothing to improve their looks, but at least she had tried.
Turning to Katherine she said, ‘If they don’t behave kick their backsides and send them home to me.’
‘Thank you Mrs Brown I am sure we will cope,’ she said with much more confidence than she felt. ‘Boys I would like you each to take a seat, we have three left.’
The two older ones sat down but Dick who found that the only seat left was beside Judith, refused to sit. ‘I’m not sitting beside her.’
‘Dick please be seated.’
‘No I’m not sitting next to a girl.’
‘I am sure that Judith does not mind; now sit down when I tell you.’
‘I said I’m not sitting next to a girl.’
Katherine was just deciding on what course to take next when Sarah stood up walked over to Dick and walloped him around the ear. Staring him straight in the eye she said, ‘You listen to me Dick Brown, you either sit down, or I will take you back to your mother. I will, even if I have to drag you all the way on your bum. Do you hear me? That goes for you two as well if you don’t shut up.’ This she said to the two older boys who were sniggering at her. Whether it was the threat of facing their mother, or the thought of another slap around the ear, it worked. They became quiet and Dick sat down beside Judith although leaning out as far away from her as he could.
Order having been restored she again began the lesson. Katherine wrote some letters for them to copy and turned to face the class noting that Dick was trying to write with only one hand the other one being in his pocket.
‘Dick I think it would be much simpler if you held the slate with your other hand, then it would not move around.’
‘Can’t, Mrs.’
‘Why ever not? Take your hand out of your pocket.’
‘Can’t, Mrs.’
‘Dick I am beginning to get annoyed with you. I did not want this to happen on our first day. Take your hand out of your pocket, now.’
She heard Sarah’s chair scrape. ‘It is all right Sarah, I will handle this.’
Katherine felt she could not have Sarah stepping in every time her authority was questioned. ‘I am still waiting Dick.’ She should have known by the sniggers coming from the other two Brown boys that something was afoot. ‘Take your hand out of your pocket, now.’
Dick slowly brought his hand up and placed it on the desk top. Katherine noticed that his fist was clenched as though holding something.
‘What have you got in your hand?’
‘Nothing, Mrs.’
‘Don’t lie to me. I know that you have got something in there.’
‘Have not, Mrs.’
Katherine held out her hand. ‘Give me whatever it is you have in your hand…now!’
With an impish grin he placed his hand in hers. She was aware of something moving in her hand. The small mouse ran up her arm, across her shoulder, and down her back. For days after she could still feel those feet running down her back. She was not aware that she screamed or that she collapsed in a neat heap on the floor.
‘Oh blimey, I’ve killed her’ shrieked Dick as he made a bolt for the door.
Sarah grabbed him. ‘Sit down you stupid idiot she has only fainted. Becky bring me a glass of water. Rachel make some hot tea quickly.’
By this time Dick was sitting quietly crying. Katherine regained consciousness and with as much dignity as she could muster made her way to her chair where Rachel was waiting with a cup of tea. ‘Thank you Rachel, Sarah could you take over the class for a few minutes please.’
Sarah stood at the head of the class and no one would dare disobey her. There were no more incidents that day. After a short time Katherine took control again. She actually felt rather sorry for Dick he had obviously had a terrible fright and his ear, she noted, was bright red where Sarah had hit him.
The class was dismissed at midday. The story of Mrs Kruger and the mouse was told and embellished upon around every tea table in the valley that evening. Even Helmut who at first had been concerned when he heard she had fainted now saw the funny side. ‘You surely were not scared of a little itty bitty mouse were you.’ He said to her across the table during the meal.
‘It wasn’t that small.’ As she said it she