Mail Order Misfortune Read Online Free PDF

hushed tones as they worked. For some reason, Mr. Hanson thought it was unseemly for women to enjoy housework, and he didn't like them to talk loudly or laugh while they worked.  Apparently in his mind, women shouldn't ever do anything they enjoyed. 
    Anna was comfortable enough with Mrs. Hanson that they often enjoyed their housework when they knew Mr. Hanson was out of the house.  Anna wondered how the sweet woman could deal with her husband, but she knew better than to ask.   Mrs. Hanson seemed to all but worship Mr. Hanson, and she wasn't about to try and get in the way of marital bliss.
    When she finished with the dishes, Anna hurried to her room to get her things for school, taking the lunch pail that Mrs. Hanson provided for her every morning.  "I'll see you this afternoon, Mrs. Hanson."
    "Have a good day, dear."
    Anna rushed out the door, glad to be away from the house where she felt so oppressed.  She walked slowly to the schoolyard, looking forward to another week. The children were all so well behaved, she felt like she should send a 'thank you' note to each of their parents for teaching them manners.
    She swept out the schoolroom as she did each morning, and was sitting at her desk reading a good book when the children started coming.  She would look up and smile or call a greeting as each one put their things on their desk and ran outside to go to play until she called them. 
    A young boy, no more than eight, that she hadn't seen before came into the schoolhouse and looked around at the empty seats.  Anna stood up.  "Are you new here?  I'm Miss Simmons."  She pointed to an empty desk.  "That's a good place for you to sit.  What's your name?"  She was excited at the prospect of a new student, which told her this teaching job really was where she was meant to be.
    The boy looked at her, his eyes filled with orneriness.  She knew the look well, because every child of the demon horde had that same look every day.  "I'm Ernie Hoover.  My pa and me just moved here on Saturday."
    "Just you and your pa?" she asked, wanting to know about his mother.
    "Ma's dead."  He said nothing else as he dumped his things on his desk and hurried out to the schoolyard.
    Anna sighed.  Her sweet two weeks of teaching a well-behaved class were over.  She had a hellion, and she was going to have to deal with behavioral issues again.  She shook her head.  At least there aren't six of them, right?
    Walking out to the schoolyard, she called the children into class, and they all came running and skipping, many of them already out of breath.  Laughter rang through the building, and Anna couldn't help but smile.  She didn't like teaching a great deal, but she loved children. Having the chance to interact with them every day made her days better.
    She sat down and carefully added Ernie's name to her roster, asking him to come forward for a moment.  "You've been to school before?" she asked softly.   Not every child had the opportunity to go to school, but she assumed he had by the look on his face that told her he was an experienced mischief-maker.
    He nodded sullenly, refusing to even look at her.  "Yup."
    Anna took a deep breath, knowing that he was being deliberately rude.  Most of the children would only respond with, "Yes, ma'am." 
    "Would you mind showing me where you are in your reader and in arithmetic?  I need to know what class to put you in."
    Ernie stomped back to his desk and got his books.  He showed her his spot in his reader, his eyes daring her to say something about how little he'd accomplished in it.  He was further along with his arithmetic.
    Anna smiled and nodded.  "Thank you, Ernie.  You'll be in the second reading group but the third arithmetic group.  Please come forward when your classes are called."  She wasn't looking forward to the problems he'd cause, but she was determined to treat him just like any other student until he started misbehaving.
    Ernie returned to his seat, plopped