Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1873-03-27
OUR PROFESSOR.
BE MARY 3. SLEIGHT.

d We wero school ma ans, Sue Ark
wright and assistants in the Deltield
Al academy . thriving institution, of which
q. Hugh Arkwright, cousin to Sue in the
I'd bird or fourth degree, was principal.
;, We three held undisputed sway in that
Il academy, and - We boarded together,
u here was no lack of teachers meetln s.
he place for discussing the questions
= Connected with our work being either
= hunt Claress pleasant parlor or the pine
,,n ench under Che apple trees Aunt Glare,
.....ne Of those motherly women who are
AZ UNITS to everybody, rather objected at
strst to receiving the two assistants, on
ache plea Of dielfking the responsibility of
l-.Aving young girls to look after; but
IS nvhen we confessed to being past twenty
y I've and utterly deetitute Of admirers, she
ook pity on u and opened wide her
lome and heart. Possibly, had we not
m ,een well over the age of girlish romance,
q here might hare been some danger for
: Is in SO close companionship with
y nan like the professor-a man Of whose
friendship any woman might be proud,
1And q handsome man in spite Of his green
G ylaases but, as it was, we were too in
enx lust then on our mission to "the
:siug generation" to give any thought to
eu1Al19Q ~ kuc 0c11t. vi COURSE CouIu
lot help seeing that Sue liked him, but
,ycrYbody liked him as for that, and she
vas his cousin; while as for me / may
a.lready, unfortunately or otherwise, had
wo %. three Of my early gods knocked
rom fhsr p0destals, / had given UP
Dan despair Of ever finding my Ideal, and
vas trying to console myself with the be-
IL ief that was welded to my work. So
4 he days went peacefully by, and the
ripple friendship grew and strengthened.
r. But one spring evening, when the apple
a6rees we're sprinkling the trio beneath
! lem with shower of white petals, a
+ isturfinG element was introduced into
LII circle "a the person of Aunt Clare's
..ece a slender, dark haired girl, with
yes which the professor called amber
:; rown, and 4 voice which he said was
Ike Wind-harp, chan ging its tone with
9TverI thought th1t stirred it. It was the
Irst bit of oout3nnentality that | ever knew
finn to indulge To be sure her voice
lras rather EN69 but as for her eyes, l
Aouldnt - t they'd tfered much from
rOwn oyok ~ &meral. Looking lack at
tnow, 81 must have been her
Lpretty 101k IA contrast to the prim
lightly % hoo ma ans, that first
!, Aptivate 6ue and I, womanlike,
rtAd man1U - before the introduction
CT vas ANY nd, though neither of US
eurearod + 41< the professors friend
n NJ hip, MoN4o1f ready to resent her
0mine < when we knew her story
dr-tOI kNe9e1A had been watching by
d he of IN only sister whom death
nd ju1t called home-our hearts soften
"a toward her; and when one morning,
ilefore she had been with us week, Sue
q, r,,und herself suffering so acutely from an
!, tack of neuralgia, that teaching was
at OF the question, we were glad enough
rut, accept the little lady's offer to take her
! lace.
IN ssI'm afraid 1 shall make awkward
FORK Of it, she said, ''for l never
Gi lught class il my life; but I'll do my
!, -z- est. !"
Well, there were some very amusing
n slistakes IN the course of the day, but
nrae professor, though strict discipline
y ian, completely IGNORED them, and, in
net, seemed 60 we'll pleased with her
. lethod, that he prevailed upon her to
+ Axe class for tho remainder of her stay.
vi Whether + w1s because he liked to see
sa or IN tho ychooE1Oom or because, in the
II oodne6a of III heart, he thought it would
sa5@1rn heen( soin her troubles, I have
ever 80 0Ale3n determine Neither
e. an gqlk ~ have been her motive
tlsl unoex but she certainly did
IT, omar msidering her inexperi-
~: :aiFs nee: md l were forced to
II W. 49, ~ y time, l think, that we
'A> cyan g A04 Nhange in the profess
OF. ne of the most cheer
'P III an0 zen, he grew suddenly
bala1 noody oeed, frequently sitting
SbOr - - Nyening without open
6 az ~ - directly addressed,
fhiiezek u he was as irritable
III E remember one morn
Ing ~ his letters were always
lbut y T. ID he had just been
eauiu ing ominously all the
,hile, 49, Glare passed his coffee.
OF fele Icecn Evously to take it, but
ome ecidents will happen
. ne cup slll m his fingers and the
r. eflee Vent ng in brown rivulets
s~ss yer the AnoN Ne cloth.
inl'' 'sSpan clesn nknight!" said sne in on
F ndertOno. nbering Aunt Clare's
seep orror Of otatnod fAble linen; but the nro,
tn' .sssor's v0tce 1f1ested all testing.
l~ Il wish yOu would have nv letters
emit to my foOm after this" he said saw.
o. gely.
All "Cert.inly answered Aunt Clare,
leeklfi MINI The rest of Us made =
y =. sone1in a&tempt at discussing the
, ) sesss .te1y wondering what in the
svxa4 e4o had to do with the spilled
= 1nIs thus it went on for weeks.
s.,e Dol room he was not him
Is 10y 10y startling the scholars,
. -. rs gentler ways, with
- -. - severity for which there
~ ~ -. s.ssss cause. Try as we would,
w h;s sSs:s .s. our eyes to the fact that
essS;sss' - latever it might be, was
- ms round
Us. - IL La A. a2.l abominable!" I said to
nj No. = 49, when the professor,
;. 81 - sually moody and di.a-
sss ~ Sszs ~ j. Fuptly retired without
u s.. q Fl OF explanation or apol-
lo r! 1a4Nho makes such bear of
+ ail g. eat 1t1o be teacher"
81 Il 80 90 looEeo NJ with flashing eyes from
! ''ae exe1c - was correcting.