Thursday, March 10, 2011

Starting School and The Python

The time came to go to school under a new teacher. The Cogburn's had come, with their 2 children, a boy, Terry, who was Dick’s age, and a girl just older than Galilee, named Melody. It was so fun having someone her own age to play with.

Of course, mom would not let her go to Melody’s just any time. She had to be invited with a set time to go and time to leave. However, Melody could also come to her, so it was that they spent quite a bit of time together one way or the other.

 
Then Galilee found out Mrs. Cogburn was going to teach school. She was so excited to begin school. Even now she took the Bobbsey Twins books and pretended to read the words like her brothers did, but she wanted to really be able to read.

 

Galilee did find it hard to settle down to sitting at a desk quietly without moving around for such a long time. And no talking? This was almost impossible. Mrs. Cogburn had to teach 4 different grade levels and so  Galilee had to sit quietly until Mrs. Cogburn could help her. The glow of learning to read dimmed as the discipline of a class room was enforced.

Galilee was always squirming and talking without permission. Mrs. Cogburn thought she was just being naughty but Galilee was not trying to be difficult. It just was hard to remember all the rules all the time.

Then, after the fire Galilee had started sucking her thumb and Mrs. Cogburn told her big girls didn’t suck their thumbs. Mrs. Cogburn brought a baby bottle to class and told her babies suck baby bottles.

Of course, Galilee thought Mrs. Cogburn was being unfair but mom was behind whatever Mrs. Cogburn said. This school and learning was beginning to make Galilee very unhappy. Galilee was finding growing up wasn’t all fun.  

There had been reports about a huge python having been seen on the hill between the Cogburn's house where they went to school, and Galilee’s home. Everyone walked back forth on the path, and they keep a watchful eye out for awhile, but no one saw it and soon the rumor of the snake was forgotten. There were enough other snake sightings on the station.

One day, Dick and Galilee were tearing down the hill as they always did when going home from school.  Dick stopped abruptly right in front of Galilee. Dick had done this before to tease Galilee. She had hurt her lip bashing into her brother’s back. So, having seen him stop in time Galilee side stepped Dick and tore down the path to reach the house first. But, halfway to the house she was aware Dick was not catching up with her and stopped to see why. 

He was just standing, like a statute, staring at the path before him.


“Hay Dick”, Galilee called, “Why are you just standing there?


Dick didn’t answer and Galilee started back. But only a few steps back and Dick suddenly came tearing forward and grabbing her arm pulled her along beside him.


In the house, both of them panting from the run, Dick told Mom that he’d seen the python.


Galilee was most disappointed she had not seen it. She had leaped over it and was glad she had not stepped on it and made it mad.


So once again, everyone on the station was on the lookout. They went up on the hill looking for it’s hole but a long time went by and the python was not sighted by anyone. Then one day, some men came running to her Dad.


“Bwana, Bwana. Bring the gun. We have found the python. Come quickly and shoot him Bwana.”
Dad grabbed his gun and went with the men. There on the path was the python. One shot ended his life.
The men stretched out the dead snake. It measured 13 feet long. Dick tried to lift it up by the tail, and could only lift up about 4 feet of tail. It was very heavy.

Galilee felt a bit sorry they killed the python but she was very scared of snakes and was glad that this one, at least, was not going to grab her.