The weekly pioneer and Democrat. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn. Territory) 1855-1865, 1863-12-11
"You are Mr.. Clarmont, sir, I sup

You are Mr.. ClarmOnt, sir, l sup
pose ?"
"What's your business with me, my
friend ?" said l, amiably.
"Well, I'm real glad I've catched you
at home for once," was the answer, with
fiendish satisfaction. "I'd be very much
obliged if you'd pay this ere little bill!''
And extended crumpled piece of pa
per-a bill for something or other, Ididnt
know nor care what except that the sum
total was twenty dollars, which I paid
with my exultation considerably toned
down Why couldn't l have said that l
wasn't Jack, and didn't know when Jack
would bo at home?
My most interesting adventure was yet
to happen, however. Just as l was be-
ginning to yawn, and contemplate the pro-
priety of shutting the little office up for
the day-just as the level brightness of
glorious spring sunset was streaming in
long bars of gold through the dusty panes
of glass beside me--the silence was bro
ken by tiny tap on the Office door.
"Come in :" l said expecting to see a
little boy with letter, or some preterna-
turally bashful client, as laid down the
poker, and wheeled my chair round What
was my astOnishment, on the contrary, to
behold tall slender young lady, with
fresh, brown complexion, just tinged with
healthy pink, that somehow made me think
of the wild honey-suckles in my favorite
woods, and hazel eyes, that appeared per-
tectly ready either to sparkle into brilliant
laughter, or melt into misty tears.
There she stood, and there sat l
never had heard of Jacks having any fe.
male clients and consequently it took sew
eral seconds for me to recover, as it were,
my mental equilibrium. Then I sprang
up, and politely protfered her the only
chair in the Office while / enthrOne my
self on the wOOdbOx
Mr.. Clerm> mt ?" she asked softly-a
very sweet, musical sort of voice, l no.
ticed, even through all my perturbation
Il shall be happy to be of service to
you ma am"
Who would have supposed it! The
young wood-nymph didn't want divorce
from her husband, (that is, taking it for
granted she happened to have such an ap-
pendage,) nor did she desire to quarrel
with her neighbor's boundary fence, or
stray bovine animals who had deprecated
the paternal cornields. Not at all sbe
merely wanted certificate to teach dis
trict school, and the other trustee had sent
her to Mr.. Clermont to he examined.
Here was a pretty kettle of fish for a
bashful young man who was sailing under
false cOlOrs! How was to know whether
she was qualified to be Il school-ma am or
not? And how, in the name of all that
was desperate, was to get myself out of
this embarrassing business, unless I con-
fessed my inequality to the emergency by
running away and beating an ignominious
retreat through the back Office door in
the pine woods beyond!
"Never! quoth to myself. "Ill die
at my post sooner, even if forty thousand
school ma a'alns come after certificates "
"Wha1 is your name, ma'am?" de-
manded, in business like manner, draw
ing sheet of paper towards Inc and Dip
ping my pen in the inkstand.
"Jessje Gray, sir"
J knew couldn't stacd that arch, half
mischievous twinkle of those brown eyes
ii looked at her too often; so proceed
ed on firmly:
How old are you?"
Eighteen, this month 81
"Ei ghteen, hey ?" l wrote it down, and
hesitated minute. What next to ask her
had no more idea than the tongs in the
corner. Iwished Jack would come home,
and catechise his own brown eyed school
teacher-no didn't either!
"Wha5 do you know ?"
go plenty of things, responded the fair
candidate, demurely. (Confound those
wonien-how quickly they discover when
you are at disadvantage 81 can sew,
and knit and mend stockings, and make
pies, and-''
tried hard to frown, magisterially, as
saw the rOguish dimples playing around
Jessie's rosebud mouth, and interrupted
her catalogue with the stern query:
mean: what are your educational
| qualifications
Jessie looked at me like startled bird,
the mouth beginning to culver, and the
hazel Orbs to melt and swim. moved
uneasily on the wood box, and two or
three knotty pine logs rolled around my
ankles.
"Come now don't be frightened,"I ex-
pOstulated, rubbing my bruised extremi-
ties. All l want to know is, can you say
the multiplication table, and cast interest,
and all that sort of thing?"
eyes," faltered Jesse.
"Let me see-which school is it You
wish to teach 2" soliloquized halt aloud,
conveniently pretending to forget what /
had never known.
eat Elm Grove, SIR" said Jessie,
meekly.
"Elm Grove; why, my child, there are
scholars there twice your height and size,
and as unruly as aboriginal savages! Have
you duly considered the consequences o.
the step you are about to take?" az
81 have, SIR" she answered, the long