The Democratic press. [volume] (Ravenna, O. [Ohio]) 1868-1901, 1874-01-08
JAKE luck.

Iss vi sfft4tE&
Whateyer actu Mr. SQ1imps say
j Oh, girls, to think of it-poor, washed
fout Amanda Isiza, with her check
apronsa and faded caIieoesAte think
of her turning out an heiEessI Whew
il takes nay breath away. What'll
Jake do now, wonder
Miss Jennie Smith was an acknowl-
edged leader in the Squlmps academy.
She had mainfained her rrotund person
and round, good-natured face in spite
of sour bread and seant rations. We
thin aad starveling girls looked up to
her as 8 star of the fFst magnitude.
We clustered around her in high con-
clave, as she sat on q desk in the
school-Foom during the temporary
absence of our worthy preceptor.
Oh she'll never think of Jake
agar, E erie cried 9 sharp7faced girl in the
'sEIr bet she wili,e rejoined Miss
Smith, slapping her hand energetical-
ty on her old grammar. .ALiss Smith
| had ~big brothers" which may partly
account for the vim with which she
was went to express herself. g But,
oh, don't wish it was mel To think
that Amanda Liza, that used to lend
my old collars To- -, sEsrs
Young ladies, Miss Bimm n cried
q warning voice whereat Jennie, with
more haste than dignity, abandoned
her lofty position, and there was q
general stampede for seats, as Mise
Bimm, the head teacher, came sailing
in, followed by Mr.. Squimps, the
principal, black, tall, and solemn as
the shadow of lamp-post. Now for
stricter rules, longer lectures on pro-
| priety, and a general surveillance
founded on certain recent occurren-
ees.n aaas7
What would Mr.. Squimps say? Az,
to be sure, that was always q question
Of importance, and Mr.. Squimps al
ways said good deal. Here was
special theme for his eloauence for
this case Of poor Amanda Liza, who
had been his bond-slaYe for ten years,
cufed and cornered, making no sign,
and aG last turning out to have rela-
tions OF her own and heap of money
and leaving his ablishment & for
good and all" in his absence, was a
leetle too much for human nature, as
he declared. For Mr.. Squimps did
not disdain to descend to !" familiar
collouquialismsD once In q while as
relief from the high mental strain of
too much Latin and lexicon.
Mr.. Squimps should have been a
public speaker-so his wife declared,
so all his friends afFffmed-tIhe ouIy
trouble was he would never have
known when to stop. There was no
| "cork up to him, the girls declared.
Once given q little rope, small vexa-
ton, an accidental jarriDg of his ar
rangemenkss and Mr.. Squimps lowed
out into imtiless rivers of rhetoric.
He argued his point down to the last
whittles wound mp splendidlV, touched
up his side-whiskers, looked round
for applause, turied over his wrist
bands, and, before you knew it, began
agalas lsss ~ ~
This was >, splendid opening, this
of Amanda Liza's-a girl whom he
had taken out Of squire charity" when
her folks died of lever. b girl whom
be had educated, brought up in his
very family, aud. d.--and-.Hr. Suuimps
felt himself possessed on this occasion
OF all the stock in trade necessary for
an orator. 44as-- - tsi-ssa 81
And 8fr. SQaimps like q father to
her, too + cried Mrs Squimps, elevat-
ing her shrivefied little hands.
Mrs. Squimps was a small wrinkled
lady, rnstifng about of an afternoon
| ia stiff Yofuminous silk, SO little, so
shriveiIed,. she seemed to rattle in it
as she walked, like withered kernel
| in q walnut shell. She had the bene-
fft of Mr.. Sqnfmps's eIoquence the
greater part Of her life, and was much
1 like Wofn-out text-thin and thumb
ed and faded.
The good lady was humbly aware
of he's deficiencies. A mere bit of
quartz. she did not attempt to shine
even in hei'! husbands refplgence. All
real authority in her department was
delegated to Miss BimHl, who carried
things with an air, taught the higher
| branches, and took the lead
Mrs. Squimps meekly took the
kitchen, emineatly filter. IS her hus-
band declared, for that department,
which was the foundation of all others
The foundation prepared under Mrs.
Squimps' supervision was not very
substantial. But elegance was the
aim, gentiIity the law at the academy,
as Mr.. SQuimps observed, and no one
asked twice fOr the same dish. An
army of hungry girls, he remarked
privately to Mira. Squimps, would4de-
your all before them unless properly
restrained. Under this aspect sour
bread and chill pancakes were judi
cious.
Amanda Liza, the girl about whom
we were all just now in a fnrore, had
assisted Mrs. Squimps and the maids
in the kitchen of morning, likewise
of an evening; between these she
generally sandwiched the thin hour
of study which was denominated her
Education" She was q slim drOop.
ing eyed little thing, who never spoke
mp for herself; and If Jake hadn't
spoken up for her once In while,
think she would hardly have held her
own even under Mrs, Squimps' mo-
therly sway.
sold Jake, as we called him, was
q biack-eysd, ragged lad OF eighteen,
the iactotum of the school, general