Poor Miss Hall

Late Fall 1877

Nine-year-old Andi Carter clomped down the schoolhouse stairs. Recess at last! She looked up into the dreary November sky.

Plop! A raindrop landed on her cheek. "Rain, rain, go away," Andi shouted at the dark clouds.

Andi's friend Cory Blake took the porch steps in one leap and landed next to Andi. "Come again another day!" he finished. He tipped his head back and stuck out his tongue to try to catch a drop.

Cory clearly didn't care if the rain stayed or came another day. Or even if it poured buckets. He looked glad to be out of the classroom for twenty minutes.

Recess was definitely the best part of the school day.

Cory looked at Andi and jiggled his pocket. Marbles clicked. "Did you bring back my special aggies?"

"I forgot."

Cory slumped. "You said you'd let me try and win 'em back today."

"I'll bring them tomorrow," Andi promised.

A stiff breeze whipped her face. She buttoned her coat and jammed her wool hat farther down on her head. "Besides, it's too cold to sit on the ground and play marbles. I'm gonna jump rope."

She skipped away and joined a group of little girls. Two were twirling the long rope. The rest stood waiting their turns. Andi hopped on one foot and then on the other to keep warm.

More raindrops splashed on her sleeves.

When Andi's turn came, she jumped as fast as the rope slapped the ground. After fifteen jumps, she warmed up enough to tear off her hat. Two long, dark braids bounced against her back.

"... thirty-one, thirty-two," the girls chanted.

Andi panted and kept jumping. Mary Ellen Meyers had made it all the way to fifty-seven jumps, and Andi was determined to beat her.

A loud scream broke Andi's concentration. The girls dropped the rope.

"Hey!" Andi shouted. The rope lay limply at her feet. "That doesn't count."

Nobody listened to her. Mary Ellen gasped. "Oh, my goodness!"

Andi whirled. Next to the seesaw, Julianna Ross lay sprawled on the ground, screaming. Never mind that she didn't look hurt from her fall. Her disgrace was ten times worse. Every pupil in the schoolyard was staring at her.

Julianna sat up. She looked at her mud-splattered coat and hands and let out another ear-piercing shriek.

Miss Hall came barreling out of the schoolhouse like a mama cow looking for her calf. "Whatever is the matter?" She started down the stairs.

After the teacher's first step, everything happened too fast for Andi to remember all the details. Miss Hall's long skirt might have caught on a nail. Perhaps she took the steps too fast. Or maybe the rain had turned the stairs slippery.

Whatever the reason, Miss Hall went down hard. There were only six steps, but it must have felt like twice that many to the aging schoolteacher. When she finally tumbled to a stop at the bottom, she hit her head and lay still.

Mary Ellen and three others screamed. Boys and girls swarmed around Miss Hall. Some cried, but most stood stock-still in horror.

Julianna stopped shrieking and ran over to see what had happened.

"Is she d-dead?" Cory stuttered. His freckles stood out against his pale cheeks.

Andi let out the breath she'd been holding. Cory sure was brave to ask that question.

"Don't be a goose," Sarah Jones scolded. She crouched beside Miss Hall's still form. "Of course she's not dead."

At almost fifteen years old, Sarah along with Andi's sister Melinda were the oldest girls in the school.

Andi winced. Correction. Only Sarah was the oldest girl now. Melinda had gone to San Francisco to study at a young ladies' academy for the year.

I wish Melinda was here! Andi wanted her big sister to put her arms around her and tell her Miss Hall would be all right.

Thomas, the oldest boy, joined Sarah beside the still form. "All of you hush!" he ordered. The children quieted. "Miss Hall?" He gently shook her shoulder. "Are you all right, ma'am?"

A low moan greeted the small crowd.

"Move back." Thomas shooed everyone away. "You'll smother her."

Andi and the rest of the children jumped back to give Miss Hall more air. None of the younger pupils ever disobeyed fifteen-year-old Thomas — not even mean Johnny Wilson, the classroom bully.

Miss Hall moaned again.

From a safe distance, Andi watched Thomas and Sarah help the teacher up.

When Miss Hall tried to stand, she cried out and crumpled back to the ground. "I'm sorry, children," she whispered. "I fear I have twisted my ankle."

Andi bit her lip and glanced at her friends. They looked as frightened as Andi felt. Miss Hall couldn't be hurt. What would happen now? Who would teach their class if —

Sarah shook Andi's shoulder. "Stop woolgathering and do what I told you."

"Huh?" Andi pulled her bewildered gaze from Miss Hall. "What?"

"Run and get your brother," Sarah said. "He's on the school board. He'll know what to do."

Happy to be given a task, Andi bolted out of the schoolyard and ran the four blocks to her oldest brother's law office. She slammed through the door. "Justin!"

His office looked deserted. Maybe Justin was across the street at the courthouse, presenting an important case.

Andi's heart sank. She knew better than to barge into a courtroom uninvited. Judge Morrison would peer over his spectacles and scold her in his courtroom voice. He might even bang his gavel, which would embarrass Justin and frighten Andi.

No, she couldn't go looking for Justin. What do I do now?

Just then the door to a small, private office opened. Justin appeared in the doorway. "What's the matter, Andi?" He crossed the room. "Why aren't you in school?"

A big lump clogged Andi's throat. No words came out.

Justin led Andi into his office and set her on his desktop. "Big breath, honey. What's wrong?"

Andi took a big breath, which helped a little. She swallowed the lump. "It's Miss Hall."

"What happened to her?"

Tears filled Andi's eyes. Her cheeks felt hot and flushed from running. Her heart raced. "She fell down the stairs and can't get up. Sarah sent me to get you."

Justin pulled a handkerchief from his vest pocket and dabbed Andi's eyes. "And so you have. Let's go see." He helped her down from the desk, found his hat, and put it on. "I'm sure it's not as bad as it sounds."

Andi slumped. She couldn't run all the way back to school just yet. "Will you carry me?"

"You're too big to carry."

"But —"

"Luckily, Thunder is tied up just outside." Justin winked.

Yippee! Andi's tears dried up in a hurry.

Justin climbed into Thunder's saddle and pulled Andi in front of him. With a touch of Justin's heels, the big, bay horse trotted down the street.

A horseback ride during the school day was an unexpected delight. Andi sat up straight and tall, all smiles. Too bad the schoolhouse isn't clear across town.

Two short minutes later, Justin pulled...