The Children's Hour Page #3

The angel child is just

coming back to life.

Her roommates were busily

eavesdropping at the door

when Aunt Lily and I were

yelling at each other.

Karen...

I think we should separate

those girls from Mary.

Yes. She's a bad influence.

- I have a class waiting. They're outside.

- I'll take care of it.

All right, girls,

you may go in now.

How does it feel to be

back from the grave?

- Did you meet any interesting people?

- It's my heart, and it hurts.

You like that story, don't you?

- I want to see my grandmother.

- We're awfully sorry, Miss Wright.

I'm sorry, too. You never

used to do things like that.

I'm afraid we're going to

have to separate you girls.

Peggy, move into

Helen Burton's room,

and Mary, change rooms

with Rosalie Wells.

- Miss Wright.

- And it's just because I had a pain.

You're always being mean to me.

I'm always getting

punished, picked on,

blamed for everything

that happens around here!

Tell Rosalie.

Help!

Are you leaving?

Not until I get paid.

- Good-bye, teacher.

- Good-bye, Doctor.

Now, go on. Why did Dobie

want to get rid of Mortar?

Dr. Cardin and Miss Wright

are going to get married.

- Everybody knows that. Stupid!

- But everybody doesn't know

that Miss Dobie doesn't

want them to get married.

- How do you like that?

- Why doesn't she?

I don't know, but Mortar

said that Dobie was jealous

and that she was like that

when she was a little girl

and she never wanted anybody

to like Miss Wright

and that was unnatural.

Boy, did Dobie get sore at that.

What did she mean by unnatural?

"Unnatural."

"Un" for "not." Not natural.

Then genius here dropped her book.

- What are you doing?

- My bracelet.

I still can't find it.

I don't like that Mary

Tilford coming in here.

- Come here, Sylvester. We're moving.

- Peggy says she blows her nose all night.

- I need $2.

- I don't have it.

You have $2.75. Get it for me.

No, I won't get it for you.

Get it for me.

- I won't!

- Get it for me!

- Let go of my hand!

- Get it for me!

Girls!

What are you making

all this fuss about?

I shall get one of my headaches.

I'm very upset today, with

all my packing and moving

and I cannot stand this noise.

Isn't that Helen Burton's

bracelet, the one that was lost?

I...

No, ma'am.

It's Rosalie's bracelet.

You dropped it.

In my day, children were

seen and not heard.

Try and be ladies.

Rosalie!

Now will you get me the money?

Keep the change.

I'm sorry, grandma.

I didn't mean to

hurt your feelings.

Forgive me?

What made you act that

way, run away like that?

I told you.

- I'm scared of them.

- Nonsense!

- They've got something against me.

- I don't believe that.

They're always punishing me for

anything they can think of.

You imagine it.

Miss Wright and Miss Dobie

are nice young women

and good teachers.

You don't know anything

about them. I do.

I know lots of things.

Like what happened yesterday.

What happened yesterday?

- I can't tell you.

- Why?

- Because you're going to take their part.

- Very well, then.

It was all about Miss

Dobie and Mrs. Mortar.

They were having a terrible argument,

and Peggy and Evelyn heard them

and Miss Dobie found out.

That's why they're making

us change our rooms.

What's wrong with that?

They don't like to have us near them.

They've got secrets or something.

There's nothing wrong with

people having secrets.

But these were funny secrets.

Peggy and Evelyn heard Mrs. Mortar

say that she knew what was going on.

And they were talking

about all sorts of things

about Miss Wright and

cousin Joe getting married

and how Miss Dobie was jealous.

And boy, did Dobie

get sore at that.

I don't wish to hear anymore

of this ugly gossip.

Besides, I don't believe this talk of

jealousy between Miss Dobie and Miss Wright.

But I didn't say she was

jealous of Miss Wright.

I said that Mrs. Mortar said

that Miss Dobie was

jealous of cousin Joe.

I don't understand.

Neither do I.

But Mrs. Mortar said

that it was unnatural

for a woman to feel that way.

I'm just telling you what she said.

Mrs. Mortar said that

Miss Dobie was like that

even when she was a little

girl, that it was unnatural.

Stop using that silly word.

That's the word she used.

Then they got mad at each other

and Miss Dobie told Mrs. Mortar

to get out of the house.

- That probably wasn't the reason at all.

- I bet it was.

Because, honestly, Miss Dobie

does get mean and cranky

every time cousin Joe comes.

And yesterday I heard her

say to him, "Damn you."

You've picked up some very

fine words, haven't you?

But that's just the word she used.

One time, Miss Dobie

was in her room late.

It's right near ours.

And Miss Wright goes in

there almost every night

and stays late.

That's why they want to get

rid of us. Of me, I mean.

Because we hear things.

That's why they're making

us move our rooms.

I've heard other things, too.

Plenty of other things.

Strange, funny noises.

- And we've seen things, too.

- What things?

- Bad things. I can't tell you.

- You're annoying me very much.

If you have anything

to say, say it.

I mean, I can't say it out loud.

I've got to whisper it.

- Why must you whisper it?

- I don't know. I've just got to.

Mary, do you know

what you're saying?

Stop the car, John.

Stop the car, John!

Just a moment.

It's true.

You wait right here.

MY goodness!

Good morning, Mrs. Tilford.

I've come here to see Miss

Wright or Miss Dobie.

They're in class. I never carried

a suitcase before in my life.

Oh, dear.

I'll wait.

I guess I'd better cram

these things into this bag.

My theater maid usually

does the packing for me.

What must I look like?

I gave up a very important role in

Morning Sunshine just to teach here.

And now my niece has dismissed me.

Dismissed, after a year

of backbreaking work.

I sacrificed my youth for her

but I'm sure you

know all about that,

and ingratitude,

and the sting of the wasp.

Do you suppose I could get one of

those coats in that other bag?

Mrs. Mortar...

I've been told you used a strange

word in connection with your niece.

I've heard that you feel

there's something unnatural...

Something unnatural? Why, the

whole thing's unnatural.

You would think that a healthy

woman her age would have a husband

or at least an admirer but she

hasn't, and she never has had.

Young men who liked her,

yes, but not for long,

because she has no interest

in them, only the school

and Karen Wright.

Mrs. Tilford, at 28, do you spend your

life with other people's children

no new clothes, working every

night, nothing to look forward to

but a summer vacation

with Karen Wright?

And now that Karen's getting married,

Martha's in a frenzy of bad temper

and she's taking it out on me.

Friendship between women, yes.

Nobody's had more friends than I.

But not this insane devotion.

I'm forgetting

something, my umbrella.

I left it in the closet.

Perhaps it's all for the best.

It was bound to happen

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