Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1872-12-28
CAUGHT AT LAST.
ATRuR sroRY-BY o. g. ADAMS.

ATRuK sroRr-Br o. 9. ADAMS.
l always recall with keen relish the joke
| which Fanny Burns PLAYED on her school N as
ter. 1t was altogether unprecedented and in
voluntary On her part, but hat made it ali the
more enjoyable.
| Mr.. Charlton was very digniaed, stern at
| m 8, and TIited himself on the strict d sci-
/ l. Inc enforced in his school. But Fanny Burns,
| with her bls> eyes, lrTepressibie love OF fun
| and ready Wit, was dissost to much tor him.
Fanny and were very good friends. used
| to draw Ler home on my sled, run races with
her, give her dainty morsels out of my dinner
| basket. and perform various other gsllantIies
suited TO cur Juvenile IDEAS OF such things. And
| vhen We were a little older, I walked home
with her instead OF drawing her. and made pur-
chases Of oranges In lieu of bestowing on her
! tartS and baked apples. 1t was about this time
| that the msnis for writing notes took posses
slOn OF u.s. Although We saw each other before
sCtC0l, az recess at noon, and after school it in
| variably haFpered that during study hours.
matters OF sudden and vital importance would
| arise, demanding epistolary communication be-
| tween us. Notes would he written and passed
| from hand 20 hand unsil they reached their
! proper destinations, for there was a mutual
| agree ment between all the pupils 70 perform
/ such offices secretly and faithfully Sometimes,
| indeed, We weuld sit near together.-on op-
Posite sides of an aisle, for instance-so that we
! other.
This practice of writing notes was of course
| strongly condemned aud strictly forbidden BY
! our teacher; and as Fanny and were especial
| and frequent offenders in this particular, he
managed to glance toward us many times in
| the course of q day. We were generally sue
| cessful, however, in eluding his watchfulness,
| and managed to exchange great numbers of
small bits OF paper, on which messages were
| scrubbed.
! But one day our hour of grief came--or at
ieast SO thought for the time being. Fanny
mad handed me several notes. to which, for
some reason, had neglected replying. And
soon came another, neatly folded, winch she
| reached over to me with considerable exertiOn.
accompanying 1t was a lead pencil, though for
nnTUOsR L M M OIL I f,af
reaching over to receive it from her hand, when
a loud, stern voice parayzed us both for an in.
slant.
There! Miss Burns! have caught you at 1t
| az last"
Fanny's bright eyes dilated with fright
shTank back In nay seat, leaving the note still
| in her hand.
"You will please step forward, Miss Burns,
| and bring that note with vou.'
Fanny Obeyed with subdued air, though not
| without first turning up her nose furtively. l
trem6led with apprehension, more for her sake
| than my own.
"Stand up there on the stage" said Mr..
| Charlton, sterDly, He took the note from her.
81 have often spoken OF this despcable prac-
| dce of writing notes, he said, turning as to
view Fanny and the whole school simultane-
| ously,-"Of its wrongfulness and bad influence.
have given warning repeatedly that it must
| not be done, and have threatened to visit with
severe punishment the first offence of the kind
coming within my knowledge. The silly and
| banetu lOve-trash with which they are filled
should never pass between young people. In
! each other by word or letter, what you would
/ not he willing the whole world should hear. ]
| cannot say that am surprised, Miss Burns, but
| am deeply gTieved, that you should disObey
me in this instance, as you doubtless have in
! many others. It becomes my duty to make an
! example OF You, which shalt do by mortifyiag
! you. presume yOu would dislike exceedingly
! TO have me read this mote aloud 10 the school,"
| Fanny started violently, and seemed about
| 10 speak, but checked herself. Dir. Charlton
| paused, but she'was silent. /, who was watch
! II lEteltlY, noticed a curious eXIresStOn her
| face.
"Is there anything written in this note that
| you would he ashamed 20 have the pupils hear?n
! ''NO, sir, she fauitered.
al presume mott" said Mr.. Charlton, sarcas-
| tiCaliy.
Was it possible, thought /, that Fanny's an
! parent difficulty in speaking was caused by sup
! pressed meTrimenj? Her face certainly indi-
catedit, for while she bit her lips her shoulders
! moved cOnvnlsively, there was an unmistakabIe
/ sparkle IN her black, dancing eyes. | watched
/ the proceedings with intense interest.
/ 81 shall read it Aloud said Mr.. Charlton,
/ rGlentiessly, and evidently somewhat excited
! with the prospect OF making such impression
| as he expected to, land hope 1t may prove
! lasting lesson to YOU"
lie unfclded the paper with pompous air and
| held 1t before his face.
! The attention OF the pupils was almost
bIesthless, and The hush OF expectation was pro-
| found.
Bat instead Of reading the note, Mr.. Charlton
= looked at with an expression of utter a-tOnish-
I ment. Perplexitv, dismsv and anger lifted by
| turns across his face, which was finally over
! spread by violent red flush. He turned to
/ Fanny furiously.
"Was this done on purpose to entrap ne, Miss
! Burns"
! ''NO, Sir"
| The astonishment of all knew no bounds now
The scene was ineNpllcable to ali except the two
| chief actors in il.
''What does this bleak piece Of pGper mesn?'
An audible litter suddenly arose, like the first
! pattering of summer shower The true state Of
/ the case began to dawn upon our minds.
Fanny was using all her energies In endeavOr-
| ing TO retain sober and respectful ar toward
! her questiOner.
| "iie didn't answer my note" she said, "and
| so was going to hand him that piece Of paper
| and pencil to-to-as-a-s0rt OF hInt!"
| The litter now swelled into a roar, and in An
! instant every boy and girl in the school room
! laughed uncontrollably. Fanny buried her face
| in her handkerchief and also laughed violently
| but silently. Peals and cheers arose, audit was
| simply impossible to pursue further. q serious
| treatment of the subject.
Mr.. Charlton himself was obliged to smile In
/ the midst of his wrath and discontinue. lie
! hanCed the paper back to Fanny, and said few
! words to her which none of us could hear ia the
/ uproar, and she, bowling. went TO her seat.
| The funny scene ended, and all was studous
! enough for the remainder of that day, and in
! deed for many days thereafter.
| L well remember when we went up to the
| next grade" Mr.. Charlton talking to the
| teacher whose department We were about to
enter,
Fanny stood near, and patting her on the
! head, he said:
"This girl, you will find, will always have
her lessons, but look out for her, she'll be too
much for you. There's danger behind those
black eyes!"
If this were "story'' Fanny would OF course
| be my wife now, but as it is a simple reminis-
| cense Of real life, il doesn't end that way, Soon
after our entrance into the higher grade Fanny
| discovered charms in a youth named Smith
| that far outshone mine. This threw me into a
! cynical frame OF mind, from which it took me
! fully two weeks to recover. Then to spite her
event with" another girl.
Then came the breaking up Of our class, some
| tears and hearty hand-shaking. That was
| dozen years ago, and l believe Fanny is now
| the wife OF a man out West. Such is life!