Indeed, she found that just by looking at most of these young men, and smiling, she could throw them into spasms of self-consciousness. They were almost as bad as Lucas Pritchett, and Lucas was getting to be such a good friend now that 'Phemie couldn't really enjoy making him feel unhappy.
She was, indeed, particularly nice to him when young Pritchett struggled to her side after the girls were settled in adjoining seats, half-way up the aisle on the "girls' side" of the schoolroom.
These young girls and fellows had--most of them--attended the district school, or were now attending it; therefore, they were used to being divided according to the sexes, and those boys who actually had not accompanied their girlfriends to the club meeting, sat by themselves on the boys' side, while the girls grouped together on the other side of the house.
There were a few young married couples present, and these matrons made their husbands sit beside them during the exercises; but for a young man and young girl to sit together was almost a formal announcement in that community that they "had intentions!"
All this was quite unsuspected by Lyddy and 'Phemie Bray, and the latter had no idea of the joy that possessed Lucas Pritchett's soul when she allowed him to take the seat beside her.
Her sister sat at her other hand, and Sairy was beyond Lyddy. No other young fellow could get within touch of the city girls, therefore, although there was doubtless many a swain who would have been glad to do so.
This club, the fundamental idea of which was "temperance," had gradually developed into something much broader. While it still demanded a pledge from its members regarding abstinence from alcoholic beverages, including the bane of the countryside--hard cider--its semimonthly meetings were mainly of a literary and musical nature.
The reigning school teacher for the current term was supposed to take the lead in governing the club and pushing forward the local talent. Mr. Somers was the name of the young man with the bald brow and the eyeglasses, who was presiding over the welfare of Pounder's District School. The Bray girls thought he seemed to be an intelligent and well-mannered young man, if a trifle self-conscious.