Cleveland morning leader. [volume] (Cleveland [Ohio]) 1854-1865, 1858-11-12
From the Peny sbuTg Journal.
KATE LAURAL, MY "SCHOOL Ml'AM."
BY LILLY LARKsPUR.

| BY LILLY LARKsPUR.
1t was peaceful, sunny place, that little vii
! lage of Glenville, where l spent my childhood.
had kind, indulgent parents, and happy home,
which 1 shared with u loving brother and sister,
| was the youngest, and consequently the pet
of all. love to recall those gay, happy hours,
when was free to roam through the live long
day, or to sit down in quietude as best suited
my fancy. That was a dear, pleasant little
| place, where the sun always shone brighter,
where the twilight always seemed to linger long
er before the darkness came on, where the moon
| always arose sooner, and shOne in a deeper and
more tranquil lustre, than have ever known
them to elsewhere. Where the flower bloomed
with fresher sweetness where the song of the
wild bird was filled with more thrilling glad
ness, and where hearts were truer than I have
found in later years | was wild, fearless, ,romp-
ing girl. | do not remember that one single
pang of sorrow ever touched my Joyous heart
or one dark cloud of grief ever shaded my Path
way. ALI day long wore a light, glad heart,
tripping over the village green in some childish
sport with my playmates, roaming in the neigh
boring woods in search of wild flowers, or mer-
riy fitting about the house singing snalches of
songs. But hidden under all this gavety, was
warm, tender heart; heart that felt deeply
when others suffered, and was ever ready to
sympathize with those in distress.
In the most conspicuous part of our quiet vii
lage stood the little white school house 1t was
neat, pretty little edfce, with green blinds,
and green lawn spread out in front. We were
kept in the winter under the control of a strict
schoOlmasters rule, but in summer as the 'big
boys" were always Obliged to remain at home to
help about the work, they then always found
school ma am" to answer every purpose in in
structing our young ideas. was only three
years OF age when first began to tread the little
path that led to our little white school house,
and every summer since then new face had
appeared before US to watch over US; sometimes
belonging to a blooming country lass, sometimes
to pretty young city miss, and sometimes to
cross uncoulh old maid; all having their Pecu-
liar methods of managing US children, and all
having their peculiar failings. But never had
truly loved teucter, unJII my seventh "schOOl
maam." Miss Kate Laural, came TO hold domain
over US. Miss Kate seemed much like piece of
perfection, as we sat around her at noon, after
having eaten our dinners, and listened to her
thrilling tales of fairy land, until we would al
most forget that there was such word of stern
reality as this, and we were its humble subjects,
And then she could sing such sweet, touching
songs, in such thrilling. musical voice, as com
pletely charmed away all our unkind feelings If
we ever had any. Dear Kate Laural seem to
see her now, just as she looked in those days so
long agOne, as caught sight of her, with her pink
dress and black silk apron, her little dinner basket
hanging on her arm, and her sweet, smiling face
peeping out from beneath her gingham sunbon-
net, as she turned the corner by the old oak tree
and cana down the little worn path that led
across the green to the school house. And l
can almost feel again the same light, childish
JOY in my heart, as | sprang from the dOOr-sie
where l used to watch for her, and skipped
across the path to meet her. And as took her
hand, seemed again to hear her sweet " good
morning Lilly that used to sound to pleasant
IL to me. And then she was always so kind
and patient with all our little childish humoYs,
and always wore such sweet smile on her face,
that we could not help loving her. But there
was something about our - school ma am that
always troubled our young imaginatiOns very
much, and which we could not account for
Although that sweet smile never left her fea-
lures, yet it sometimes wore such a sad, SORROW
iul expression, completely puzzled US.
l well remember-it was a bright, sunny af-
ternoon, and the hour for dismissal had nearly
come-how l once so far lost my self-restraint,
as to give vent to one wild burst of merriment
with my joyful heart could suppress no longer,
in one light ringing laugh She turned to me
and only gave me one gentle word of reproof:
and although | felt this to be Just, still the
thought that was the first girl that she ever
had occasion to speak to, so irritated me, that
with my face partly concealed behind the blue
lids of spelling book, contracted my features
into very rude, mocking expression, and l was
sure that she was watching me the who e time.
She spoke not a word, but as she turned away,
saw her blue eyes slowly illing with tears,
and that s0rrowful expression that l had some
times noticed, o'erspread her face. OH how l
Ionged then to throw my arms around her neck
and ask her forgiveness. School was soon dis
missed, and after the last glad voice had died
away, and the last Tetreating fOotstep had left
the playground, and | was sure of not being
seen, l turned to retrace my steps to the school
room, and make amends for my misconduct
l paused as / reached the door, for there sat
Miss Laurel, her head resting on her hands, and
4 perfect flood of tears streaming from her eyes.
Dear school ma am, dear Miss Laural,' | ex-
claimed, with voice chOked by sobs, springing
to her side, while my hat fell back on my shOul-
ders, and my eurls came streaming down over
my face, Il am SO sorry for being so naughty,
and 1 do love you, dear Miss Laural." She
hastily dried her tears at the sight of me, as if
not wishing me to see her weep, and drawing
me close to her side, she said in sweet voice,
don't distress yourself so much dear child, for
knew you acted only from the impulse of the
moment, and meant no harm, and although l
was very much grieved at the time, still that
was not what troubled me now," and then the
same sorrowful expression fitted across her
face that | had noticed so often. Just at that
moment my eyes fell on a daguerreotype which
lay open on her lap, and which had not be-
fore noticed. She hastily closed it, but not soon
enough to prevent my catching glimpse of the
face inside.
why, Miss Laural ~ 1 exclaimed, "that is
my brother Where did you get his picture!"
''Your brother!' said she in astonishment
"Yes, my brother Ernest" said l.
She grew very pale, and 1 noticed that she
trembIed slightly as drew it silently from her
hand, and gazed with proud air on those dear
features that had not seen before in one long
year. And well I might be proud of him, for
he was very, very beautiful. He bore young
manly face of bold, perfect outlines; thick,
dark waving hair, soft, dark lustroLs eyes,
with noble cast of countenance, so perfect in
its manly beauty, that no wonder gazed on it
with such admiring eyes. Young as l was, the
thought instantly came over me, that this pic
ture had something to do with the strange sor-
row that seemed ever to hover over our teacher
''Tell me, said l, as l placed the picture back
in her hand, dear Kate Laurel, has my brother
anything to do with your troublei" She hesitated
moment before answering and then drawing
lie closer to her side and folding her arms around
me, she replied, Dear Lilly, it is tale had