Sonja

Sonja was tingling with excietment.  She skipped around the kitchen waving her brand new Big Chief tablet in the air.  "Grandma, I'm going to school tomorrow!". . . . Sonja stuck the tablet and a box of crayons she got at the dime store in the bag.  She put in a tin drinking cup Mama said she'd need.  She tested the point of the yellow pencil daddy had sharpened with his pocketknife and dropped it in too.  "Daddy said there's a real pencil sharpener at school."  . . . .Mama dragged the round galvanized metal tub into the kitchen.  "When the water's hot you can take a bath."

Soon the water in the reservoir fastened to the side of the kitchen range began to whisper.  "It's hot," said Sonja.  "I can hear it."

Mama dipped hot water into the tub and tested it.  "Oh dear, it'll burn your feet.  Pump some water so we can cool it."

Sonja shoved her stool to the pump in the corner of the kitchen and climbed up.  "I'm a good pumper, huh, Mama?"  She brought the red handle up and down until water climbed the pipe and flowed from the cistern outside into the enamel bucket sitting on the washstand.

(The next morning) Sonja bounded down the front steps, ran across the yard, and crawled under the fence.  She flew across the prairie that separated the farm from the schoolhouse.  She was careful to stay on the trail the cows had made.  It was easier to watch for rattlesnakes there than in the grass.  . . . . She peeked around one of the pillars supporting the porch roof and tiptoed to the front door.  It was standing open.  She stopped, listened, and looked down the wide hall.   . . . . Sonja heard her heart pounding in her ears as she tiptoed through the hall to the door.  She peeked in.  There stood her teacher.