THE NATURALIST IN A BOARDING SCHOOL CHAPTER I THE NATURALIST SECURES A POSITION THE warm spring days had come at Ashland and the college boys were thinking of home and vacation after their long grind. Some would not return in the fall, and they were thinking, too, of the sterner duties of life, particularly of work for the coming year. Among these was the Naturalist. He had decided upon teaching as a profession, at least for a time, and his last degree at Randolph-Macon was pretty well assured, so his thoughts turned naturally toward securing a teaching position without delay. About this time, the Principal of Bowling Green Female Seminary visited the college and talked with some of his personal friends among the faculty, the result being that the Naturalist was invited to meet him at the home of the Professor of English. The brief interview was conducted in the presence of the Professor, who kindly smoothed the way. After a little general conversation and a few questions, the Principal offered the Naturalist five hundred dollars and board for a session of nine months, which he accepted and departed for his rooms to prepare an essay on the origin of the modern novel. THE NATURALIST ARRIVES Leaving the train at a little station between Richmond and Fredericksburg on the Atlantic Coast Line, the Naturalist gave his trunk check to the hackman and deposited his valise and himself in the waiting hack. There were few travelers and things seemed pretty quiet, but the driver managed to consume half an hour before starting. Then came the long pull upgrade from the station to Bowling Green, the county-seat of Caroline County, splendidly situated on high, rolling ground about two miles eastward. The houses were few and separated by large gardens. Several stores and churches stood out prominently on the two main streets, or highways running through the town. In the center was the courthouse, surrounded by a grove of trees, and opposite it across the street the big, roomy hotel, which was practically deserted except on court-days or other special occasions. |