This information, with the trimmings that gossip added, made Jeannette a heroine locally. It was suggested that they should elect her county school superintendent; but the man who wanted the office called their attention to the fact that the statute declared the incumbent must be twenty-four years of age. Then she was suggested as a candidate for several other county offices by the local newspaper, “The Thousand Sticks;” but when interviewed, declined with thanks.
[pg 49] Then at a meeting of the school board she was elected principal of the Hyden public school. When the place was tendered she asked until August first, to answer; and the board agreed to keep the place open for her.
Jeannette’s school in 1922 closed on the twenty-third of June. She was in the habit of visiting the Allens each year at the beginning of her vacation, but Mrs. Allen’s health being poor they had gone to the sea shore for a couple of months and did not expect to return until the last of July. They had written asking her to join them, but this she declined to do, saying: “I will defer my visit until you return, probably coming to Lexington the middle of August, unless I can be of real service by helping you.”
About the first of July, Simeon Blair informed her that his cousin Sandy Blair was coming to spend a few days with him. There was plenty of room as she had built a wing of two rooms, which she occupied as a study and bed room.
Although she had never liked Sandy, she could not object. She looked upon his visit as of little importance; though she was sufficiently interested to inquire as to what he had been doing since he had joined the army in 1917. Simeon replied: “Sandy was in Germany three years. He came back last January and was sent to Mexico. I asked him but he did not say what he was doing, except that he had quit the army. I guess he has been dancing and frolicing around with them Mexican senorinas. You know how he loves to dance and fiddle. He’s a big fellow. He hasn’t been working much. There are no corns on his hands; they are almost as soft as yours, Miss Jeannette. I saw him yesterday at the mouth of Big Creek. He don’t gab as much as he used to.”
[pg 50] When Mrs. Blair blew the horn for supper, Jeannette came in from the Big Rock, where she had been reading. The others were already at the table; and as she entered the room, a tall, broad shouldered, red headed man, dressed in blue overalls, a hickory shirt and laced army boots rose up and came forward to meet her. She saw it was Sandy and was surprised that he rose to greet her and did not resume his seat until she was first seated. He also called her Miss Litman, instead of Jeannette, as he had always done.
She watched him during the meal. He had little to say; did not eat with his knife or drink his coffee from the saucer as he used to do. All his clothing except his boots appeared to be new. After watching a while, she thought: “the same old Sandy; nothing worries him; he has a pleasant, intelligent face and he certainly is good looking; but his hands are too white and soft for a working man’s. I guess he will marry some poor woman who will work herself to death supporting his family, while he fiddles and dances through life.”
After supper, Simeon asked him to play. She noticed that his violin was of German make and evidently a fine instrument. He played “Turkey in the Straw,” “The Arkansaw Traveler” and such other local dance music as had been played when her granny was a girl. He did it so well that she was satisfied with training he would make an accomplished musician.
She got out her own violin, an inferior instrument, with the idea of giving him a lesson; first showing him how to hold the bow properly. For some cause he could not get his fingers just right until she placed them. Then they played together. He made many mistakes; but her teaching had made her very patient. They sat up until eleven o’clock, which was a late hour for that household, [pg 51] because they arose at daylight, about four o’clock at that season; when Jeannette said: “I must go to bed; you have had enough instruction for one lesson.”
“But, Miss Litman, play just one piece for me as it should be played.”