Cleveland morning leader. [volume] (Cleveland [Ohio]) 1854-1865, 1858-12-29
MORNING LEADER.
FERULING ANNA HAWKES..
BY MARGARET VERNE


me quite crazy with you buzz, buzz, buzzing-
l must and will have silence. l ind that plain,
pleasant persuasion viii not do l shall be forced
TO resort to a harsher method. Now, listen one
and all, while l assure you that the first sehol-
ar, old or young, miss or master, young gentle
man or lady, whom shall see whispering with
out leave viii ferule ~
The teacher, Mr.. Arthur Stone, closed his
bearded lips firmly, and glanced about the old
fashioned school room with 4 determined ex-
preston, as he ceased speaking He evidently
meant just what he had said-meant it in the
faces of the stout, stalwart young gentlemen,
and the pretty, witehing, brlght-eyed girls about
him. For a moment there was dead silence
upon all, while every eye was fixed upon the
handsome, resolute face of the teacher. But in
the little crowd of eager, upturned faces, there
was but one which his eye sought intuitivey,
drawn as it were, by. some strange, mesmeric
power One face, and one at that moment
which was pretty picture of piquant beauty,
with It's saucy, inquisitive blue eyes, which met
his own fully and daringly;-its strawberry red
mouth pursed up by the most provoking and
daring of smiles that said as plainly as words
could have said it-"You wont ferule me, Ar
thur Stone, if l whisper ever so much"
A sudden flush of anger Redeemed up into the
cheeks of the young man, and shot from the
depths of his fine fine gray eyes, as he said, de-
terminedly, in answer to the smile of the red
mouth and blue eyes, and the toss of the dainty
head-"I repeat it; l will ferule the first scholar
whom l see whispering without leave !"
This time there was no mistaking it, there
was perceptibe motion of Anna HAWKES.
pretty head, an unmistakable light in her eyes,
and a whole, unbroken sentence wreathed about
the curve of her lips, as she turned carelessly
to her books" You can ferule me if you
choose, ''she said, mutely, not believing that he
would venture to do it.
'And certainly will, i" was the silent reply of
the young man, confident the while that she
would not allow him an opportunity of putting
his threat in execution. But he was i'll at
ease as he turned moodily to the arithmetic
class from which his attention had been
drawn by the unusual confusion. Affairs
had taken disagreeable turn, an unexpec-
ted course, and whatever he might do he
could not better them. There was but one
| way for him. He must put a stern face
upon the matter. He must maintain his
dignity as a teacher, even if he was obliged to
thrust roughly aside his own wishes and inclin-
atoms Anna Hawkes., pleasant, witching,
! graceful Anna-the one bright star that threw
so much light upon his arduOus, tiresome du-
ties; the warm hearted girl who had grown near
or and dearer to him as the dull, wintry days
went by, till he had dared to hope silently, yet
earnestly, that sometime he might be more to
her than any one else in the world, even she,
if she came between him and his duties, must
be sacrificed. 1t was miserable thought, and
he greeted it with long, deep-drawn sigh
Not once during that forenoon did he venture
to look towards Annals seat, or allow himself
to pause anywhere in her vicinity, for fear his
ears might be greeted by 4 provoking, odous
whisper. Not once, l say, but l must except
the long recess, during which he watched her
eagerly, as she bent over her slate, working out
her algebraic problems, apparently lost to ev-
erything about her Two or three times he half
started from his seat TO 90 to her assistance, As
she knit her white brows perrlexcdy but a
strange new feeling, like pride, kept him back.
lie thought he had never seen her look half so
pretty or Ioveable as then as she sat there bend
ing thoughtluly over her book, with one white
hand running rapidly and gracefully over her
slate. Her dress OF dark crimson cloth, with its
full sleeves confined at the wrists by black vel
vet bands, fashioned high in the neck, but ia
such manner as to display her full, white
throat, was strangely becoming to her He had
never thought of it before, but there was a GER
tain refinement in her taste that was truly
pleasing. 1t was visible in everything she
wOre-the dainty cambria collar confined at the
! throat by small cameo breast-pin the knots
of black velvet ribbon fastened about her luXu
; RANT soft brown braids; the petite black silk
? apron, with its girdle OF silk cerd and full
large, dropping tassels, and even the slender
shining little kid boots thav peeped darngly
out from the folds of her ample skirt. In al
l his life Arthur Stone had never looked upon
face or figure so pleasant or captivating. Bu
as he watched her, she rsised her eyes to hi:
face. In a moment the pretty seriousness,
which had rested so becomingly upon her fea
E lures was gone. A provoking smile curled W
her rosy mouth, and went with a sudden rusl
of triumph over her whole face dilating heI
l finely curved uostris and sweeping like very
sunshine over the blue other eyes, making sucl
J rare dimples about her chin, as one might hav,
= supposed to have been fitted by the cunning
t foreinger Of Cupid himself
Arthur Stone was veXed, but he was too mucl
man of the world to allow the young girl t,
know how much she was capable of annoyin!
him, and so after the first flame of petty ange
S had died out from his cheeks and forehead, h
i said, in a voice, the GOODNESS of which surprised
7 even himself
= "Can 1 be of assistance to you Miss Hawkesl
"None, sir, thank you. l have quite con
n quered my exercises alone to-day"
Foolish fellow The very GOODNESS of his man
ner betrayed the secret which he strove to hide
4 There was little need ofcoverts if there was no
thing to conceal. And so it was that the fore
. noon slipped unpleasantly away, and the after
noon came in its stead. The teachers rule s.
far was good one The school was remarka
Il BILE for its quietude If Anna Hawkes. had nc
u been present, Mr.. Stone would have counted
a success, hut as it was, he was in constan
= tremor of fear.
r A raised hand in the neighborhood of her sea
and timid application for assistance was me
= with something like an unreasonable frown. Il
L a hurried, nervous wav he proceeded to explail
j away the difficulty to the timid applicant to b
T free from such dangerous surroundings Jus
C as he was congratulating himself upon his sue
e cess, and about turning away, rapid, whisper
ed voley of words ratified past his ears. Their
, was no avoiding it. He knew the source from
whence they came as well as did every schoIa
, that heard them. He could not pass thought
e lessly along. The dread alarm had come will
: such a sudden distinctness as to surprise hin
k into an involuntary start. Every pair of eye
4 in the sehool-room were turned inquiringly an,
o curiously to his face. He was forced into doin!
=. his duty. The heavy beard about his mouth wa
- friendly to him then, for it covered suspicion
pallor that settled there as he turned about ant
e rested his eyes sterny upon the blushing
: piquant face of Anna Hawkes. She was tn
It picture of innocence Just then, with her brow
); lashes dropped low upon her cheeks, and tn
q pearly white teeth crushed cruelty down upol
the crimson of her lips.
''Miss Hawkes., can you tell me who whisper
ed a moment since!"
eyes, sir" The white lids were thrown wild
C open, and the clear eye fixed frankly upon hi
- own.
$ ''Who?'
4 81, sir"
. "Will you oblige me by stepping this way
moment - He led the way out into the tlool
'Yes, sir, certainly" She followed hir
d promptly, pausing beside the desk and restin
), one hand prettily upon its top.