The Buchanan County guardian. (Independence, Buchanan County, Iowa) 1858-1864, 1859-07-14

school-room floor, and up to Anna
Hawkes. seat. Mr.. Stone bit his lips
with vexation. His rival had made his
appearance in the nick of time. He de-
spised meanness heartily. denounced it
but now in spite of himself, he stood and
listened eagerly to catch few words
that dropped from Dr.. Barker's and An
mas lips.
"I'll ask Mr.. Stone to excuse me"
he heard Anna say.
Which, of course, he viii do" re-
piled DR.. Barker.
"I am not so CERTAIN was the smil-
ing reply, as she started towards his
desk.
81 hope you'll pardon me for daring
to ask such thing, but DR.. Barker
wishes me to drive with him in his new
sleigh, which I'm very anxious to do,
and SO I'd like to be excused from re-
naming tonight to take my feruling,
promising to come early tomorrow
morning"
Mr.. Stone bowed and said, every
well," though the words quite choked
him. He secretly wished Dr.. Barker
and his new sleigh in China, and him
self free from the vocation of school
teaching. He thought as he stood mood
lily by watching Anna Hawkes. pin her
plaid shawl closely about her throat, and
tie under her chin the blue ribbons OF
her quilted hood, preparatory to her
drive with DR.. Barker. that he was the
most miserable man in existence, and
that he would purchase him farm, work
shoveling on the railroad, and do any
thing rather than teach another school.
He had engaged already to take charge
of the village academy the following
spring, but now he resolved he would
not do it-he would throw up the en-
! Sdp peiIleul dt OuCc.
"No doubt she thinks me a very
BRUTE" he said to himself, as the gay
equipage went dashing down the street.
Perhaps, after all, she had not meditated
that ruthless attack upon his dignity and
patience. Indeed, now he thought of it
again, the whisper was more like sud
den exclamation than anything else. Yet
he had not given her the slightest chance
for an explanation, but, like the execu-
toner who loved his occupation. hurried
her forward to punishment--the dolt,
that he called himself. He had very
poor opinion Of Arthur Stone just at that
moment. He was sure that he would
like to horsewhip him.
A fair counterpart of the pupils
thoughts and feelings were those of the
teacher. 1t was dull, dreary drive that
Anna Hawkes. took with DR.. Barker.
She hadn't heart to enjoy it after the
folly of the afternoon.
a. He thinks that do not care for, nor
respect him." was the thought upper
most in her mind, whichever way she
turned. I" And this is the return am
making him for all his kindness to me
all the interest he has taken in my stud
les, both in and out of school, O, if he
could but know the truth"
The truth The young girl startled
herself by the word And what was
the truth ? She buried her burning face
in her hands as she asked the question
1t was this She loved ArMur Stone
loved him better than life itself. A cry
of pain went from her lips. as the know
ledge slowly settled down upon her
heart But what proof had she given
him of this 7? What proof that she was
any other than vain, selfish, unwoman-
ly thing? None, alas, none ! Like any
woman who is conscious Of her power,
she gloried in hers over Arthur Stone
But how was he to know that it was any.
thing but the glory of tickle, heartless
coquette, rather than that of strong,
loving, true-hearted woman, who makes
her power golden chain about the hearl
Of the man she loves, by which she
draws him tenderly and gently towards
her ? How, o how, was he to know
this The thought was agonizing te
her.
She resolved at last to 60 to him il
the morning and confess her fault. hum
bling as it was. He should know, a
least, that she held his feelings too sa
J cred to wound them wantonly. But il
the morning she was sick and feverish
, scarcely able to lift her head from tht
J pillow. She could not see Arthur tha
} day. and SO she must contentedly wal
for the next. Against her wishes Dr.