—Written for Dew Drops by Helen M. Richardson.
A SCHOOLROOM SWEEP.
The girls at Dorothy's school—the little ones as well as the big ones—had to do something that very few schoolgirls have to do nowadays, and that is to sweep the schoolroom—a large room that had to be swept every day after the closing hour.
Do you think that you would like such a task? Well, some of the big girls at Dorothy's school didn't like it either; but little Dorothy and most of her little mates thought it was a great honor, and they liked to have their turn come to sweep.
Dorothy had not been to school for quite one year, and the teacher had never appointed her to be one of the sweepers. Dorothy wondered why. She swept the porches at home, and mother said she did it well, too. She did so want to sweep the schoolroom when Amy Brown did, for there were always two of the small girls, each sweeping half of the room.
Day after day the teacher called the names of those who were to perform the task. Day after day Dorothy listened with a fast-beating heart and was disappointed.
One day Lena swept almost the entire floor alone. She was younger than Dorothy, too, but she did her work so poorly that the teacher had to do it over after Lena had gone. Dorothy knew, for she watched, hoping the teacher would tell her to do it.
At last one rainy day there were but a few at school, and those who were there had recently swept the floor. As the teacher glanced around before making the usual appointment, she looked at Dorothy, and Dorothy turned red in the face with excitement. Perhaps the teacher thought the shy little girl was afraid to be called on; anyway, she passed her by and called on Lena Webb—Lena Webb and Amy Brown.
Oh, oh! Dorothy could hardly keep from crying with disappointment, and Lena came near crying because she was asked again so soon.