The next night Mrs. Jo was in her study, going over some paperwork that she
had kept untouched for the last few days. She sighed as she looked at it.
"I can't do this," she said finally, throwing the papers down in disgust. She turned her attention to the sound of Nats fiddle playing for the boys upstairs. As she leaned back, she thought of Hazel. She still hadnt talked to her yet about her family. Thinking twice, she called for Dan.
"Yes, Mrs. Jo?" Dan said when he came into the study. "Is something wrong?"
"No, Dan, nothing's wrong. Well, not really," Jo replied. "I know that Hazel has been helping you out in the barn for her chores. I was wondering, do you know much about her? Her past, her family, anything?" Dan shifted uncomfortably. He didn't know how Hazel's story was going to affect Mrs. Jo, but he had to tell her. "Well, I was talkin' with her the other day, Mrs. Jo. She told me the reason she came to Plumfield was because, well, she sorta got kicked outta the other two schools she was at. She didn't tell me any more." Jo looked at Dan incredulously. She was shocked. A girl, getting kicked out of school? The way that Hazel had portrayed herself so far at Plumfield did not suggest any kind of that behavior. "That's all she told you?"
Dan nodded apologetically. "She seems pretty drawn back when I talked to her about it, like she just wants to forget it all."
Jo nodded. "OK, Dan, thank you. Now, go get ready for bed."
As Dan nodded and started to head upstairs, Jo turned around and saw her daily devotions book lying open. She grabbed it and inspired, started to write furiously. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ ~~~~~
"I can't do this," she said finally, throwing the papers down in disgust. She turned her attention to the sound of Nats fiddle playing for the boys upstairs. As she leaned back, she thought of Hazel. She still hadnt talked to her yet about her family. Thinking twice, she called for Dan.
"Yes, Mrs. Jo?" Dan said when he came into the study. "Is something wrong?"
"No, Dan, nothing's wrong. Well, not really," Jo replied. "I know that Hazel has been helping you out in the barn for her chores. I was wondering, do you know much about her? Her past, her family, anything?" Dan shifted uncomfortably. He didn't know how Hazel's story was going to affect Mrs. Jo, but he had to tell her. "Well, I was talkin' with her the other day, Mrs. Jo. She told me the reason she came to Plumfield was because, well, she sorta got kicked outta the other two schools she was at. She didn't tell me any more." Jo looked at Dan incredulously. She was shocked. A girl, getting kicked out of school? The way that Hazel had portrayed herself so far at Plumfield did not suggest any kind of that behavior. "That's all she told you?"
Dan nodded apologetically. "She seems pretty drawn back when I talked to her about it, like she just wants to forget it all."
Jo nodded. "OK, Dan, thank you. Now, go get ready for bed."
As Dan nodded and started to head upstairs, Jo turned around and saw her daily devotions book lying open. She grabbed it and inspired, started to write furiously. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ ~~~~~