White Cloud Kansas chief. [volume] (White Cloud, Kan.) 1857-1872, 1860-01-05

SouIeSB Anu Whatever ne might do, ht
could not better them. There was but
one way for him. He must put 6 stern
face upon the matter. He must maintain
his dignity as . teacher. even if he was
Obliged to thrust roughly aside his own
wishes and inclinstions. Anna Hawkes.
pleasant, witching, graceful Anna--the
one bright star that threw SO much light
upon his tiresome duties the warm
hearted girl who had grown nearer and
desrer to him a. the dull, wintry days
went by till he had dared hope. silently,
yet earnestly. that sometime he might be
more to her than any one else in the
world; even she, il she came between him
and his duties, must be sacrificed. II
was a miserable thought, and he greeted
it with long, deep drawn sigh.
Not once during the forenoon did he
venture to look towards Annals seat, or
allow himself to pause anywhere in her
vicinity, for fear bis ears might be greeted
BY a provoking, odious whisper. Not
once say, but I must except the long
recess during which he watched her ca.
gerly, as she bent over her slate. working
out her algebraic problems, apparently
lost to everything about her. Two or
three times he half started from his seat
to go to her assistance, as she knit her
white brow perplexedly, but a strange
new feeling like pride, kept him back.
He thought he had never seen her look
half as pretty or loveable as then, as she
sat there bending thoughtfully over her
book, with one white hand running rap
idly and gracefully over her slate. Her
dress of dark crimson cloth, with its full
sleeves. confined at the wrist by black
velvet bands, fashioned high in the neck,
but in such a manner as to display her
full, white throat, was strangely becom-
ing her. He had never thought Of it
before, but there was certain refinement
in her taste which was truly pleasing
1t was visible in everything she wore
the dainty cambria collar, confined at the
throat BY q small cameo brSastpin the
knots of black velvet ribbon fastened
about her luxuriant soft brown braids;
the petite black, full silk apron, with its
girdle Of silk cord, aud full large droOp
ing tassels, and even the slender shining
little kid boots that Peeped daringly out
from the folds of her ample skirt. In all
his life Arthur Stone had never looked
npon face or figure so pleasing or capti-
waiting But as he watched her. she
raised her eyes to his face. In moment
the pretty seriousness which had rested
so becomingly upon her features was
gone. A provoking smile curled up her
rosy mouth, and went with a sudden rush
oftriumph over her whole face, dilating
her finely curved nostrils and sweeping
like very Sunshine over the blue of her
eyes. making such rare dimples about
her chin, as one might have supposed to
have been fitted by the cunning fore6nger
of Cupid himself.
Arthur Stone was vexed. but he was
too much man of the world to allow the
young girl to know how much she was
capable of annoying him, and SO. after
the first fame of petty anger had died
ont from his cheeks and forehead, he said
in a voice, the GOODNESS Of which surpris
ed even him
"Can be of any assistance to you.
Miss Hawkes. ?"
"None, sir, thank you. / have quite
conquered my exercises alone to-day"
Foolish fellow The very GOODNESS OF
his manner betrayed the secret which he
strove to hide. There was little need of
coverts if Their was nothing to conceal.
And so it was that the forenoon slipped
unplessantly away. and the afternoon
came in its stead. The teachers rule so
far was q good one. The school was
remarkable for its quietude. If Anna
Hawkes. had not been present. Mr.: Stone
would have counted it success, but as
it was, he was in constant tremor oil
fear.
A raised hand in the neighborhood Of
her seat, and 8 timid application for as
sistance, was met with something like an
unre asonable frown. In hurried, ner-
vous way he proceeded to explain away
the difficulty to the timid applicant, anx-
ious to be free from such dangerous sur
roundings. Just as he was cOngratula-
ting himself upon his success, and about
turning away. q rapid, whispered volley
of words ratified past his ears. There
was no avoiding il. He knew the source
from whence they came as well IS did
every scholar who heard them. He could
not pass thoughtless along. -r-
The dread alarm had come with such
a sudden distinctness as to surprise him
into an involuntary start. Every pair of
eyes in the school room were turned in
quiringly and curiously to his face. He
was forced into doing his duty. The
heavy beard about his mouth was friendly
to him then, for it covered suspicious
palor that settled there as he turned about
and rested his eyes STORMY upont the blush
ing, piquant face of Anna Hawkes.. She
was the picture Of innocence Just then.
with her brown lashes dropped low upon
her cheeks, and the pearly white teeth
crushed cruelty down upon the crimson
of her lips. 7 afvsT - 81
"AIiss Hawkes.. can you tell me who
whispered moment since ?" III. els
"Yes. SIR" The white lids were
thrown wide open. and the clear eye fixed
frankly upon his own. ,sW -s,a.e
"Who 2"