The Emporia news. [volume] (Emporia, Kan.) 1859-1881, 1861-02-02
ENIPORIA, KANSAS, SATURDAY, FEBRUARY 2. 1861

fasten every night, so now they went about
it, and in few moments they were all Sc
cure. Then it only remained to close the
outer door, lock it, and vanish with the key.
Il was all done in five mia utes, and the boys
left the playground with tie utmost quiet
ness, with a thousand incipient shouts sup,
pressed in their throats.
The unconscious schooImaster still sat
there bordering on what he was TO do. for
the incorrigibie Madge still sat there. and
he we'll knew that she would sit there all
night if she took notion. and his position
was getting rather embarrassing.
The truth was, the SCI oolmaster was in a
quandary. Ae knew it was his duty to re-
prove MBdge; but for the life of him be
could not find it in his heart to scold her,
how much he would rather have talked
something very different from scolding TO
Ter. But he finally summoned up all his
dignity. and. with asterritic scolding,s sll
made up for the occasion. he went over AID
sat down by Madge. She didn't look up.
and the schoolmasIer was glad of il; for he
WAS trembling now like leaf. and his heart
beat it seemed to him, thousand times in
a minute. He waited a moment for it to
STOP humping. and then he cleared his
throat to begin-but there would not sin
gle word come. He began to get angry
with himself. and wished he was in the
middle Of The polar ocean; and still it was
deligkfp l 10 sit there, so close to her that
her 80 breath came floating over his
cheek everS Aime her little heart heayed be-
meath the c6qnetish scarlet basque which
covered it. Again he essayed to speak.
and this time succeeded in launching into
the subject and was Just commenced telling
her The enormity of her offence when she
raised her little plump hand and half turn
ing toward him placed it over his mouth.
The schoolmaster Selt strangely. He lost
all thought of scolding, and must tell it
yes he kissed the snowy fingers. with their
rosy lips. He got the fingers on his ears
this time. from which he felt privileged To-
keep them in his own, to keep them from
doing furrher mischief, l suppose, and for
this Madge revenged herself with the other
hand ty pulling his whiskers. Very band
some whiskers had Charley Brayton; and
though suppose it hurts handsome wills
kers to be pulled as much as it does any
others, and yet Charley didn't make any
fuss about it, from which concluded that
Madge. with all her apparent Indignation,
did not pull them very hard.
Now Madge proposed to go home, and
Charley wrapped her shawl very closely
about her, and tied the pretty hood with its
pink ties under the chin. 20. Sir Peda,
gogne, this is the way you punish refraclo-
ny scholars is it Fie upon you: what
would the board of trustees, and the min
lister, and the selectmen. and the squire
say to you? Look ont, Othello, or your
occupation will be gone; such things will
never answer. never,
Tho wi, as the door, but they
could get no lu.,..4r, and spite of their vex
alton, and the embarrassment of their posi-
ton they both burst into peal of laughter.
which would have raised the dead, had
there been any buried near there. Thev
went back into the school house, struck a
light, and reconnoitered the premises
There was no escape. and they submitted
to the inevitable meeting of the case with
the best grace possible. They built a roar
ing fire, drew some chairs up near together,
and sat down; the schoomaster put his arm
around Madge Rivers chair. and said some
thing in a very low voice. Mddge looked
up very quick, blushed, said something in
still lower voice, and somehow her head
dropped on the schoolmaster's shoulder.
and-good gracious what will people think
of me telling such tales as this about school
masters, who supposed to be next to
ministers and editors themselves in immac-
ulate propriety. take it back. it wasn't
so; but I'll tell you what was so-that
Madse didn't come to school any more :
And at the end of the term Charley Bray
ton kissed saucy Madge again; but this
time it was no mater, for she was his wife.
/ shouldn't advise all schooln asters 10 go
and do likewise.