The Elk County advocate. [volume] (Ridgway, Pa.) 1868-1883, 1876-11-02
THE RiNGLEADER.

THE RINGLEADER.
A STORY Q wILDACRE SCHOOL.
When Mr.. Rec ] camn to take the
school at Wildacr1, he found it no bed
| of roses. He was handsome young
! fellow, with an eye like Mars, which was
greatly needed at Wildacre to threaten
| or command, and tl" muscle of an ath-
| lete. But Mr.. Reel had an inherited
| habit of blushing, and the young ladies
were not slow to take advantage of il.
Perhaps the ling Ader of the school was
| George Jones, as pretty little witch as
ever W orked mischief; she it was who
| first discovered his one weakness, which,
| let us add, was not the result of bashful-
| ness, but merely of thin skin. Per-
haps there was no less bashful man in
the world than Mr.. Reed, and Miss
George was match for him there, and
did her prettiest to put him to confu-
sion. She sketched his unmistakable
caricature on the blackboard, where she
had been sent to work out an algebraic
equation, of which he caught glimpse,
turning his head inopportunely. Before
her quick hand could erase, he had stay
ed the movement by his own.
els that your unknown quantity,
Miss Jonesa" said he. "Please to finish
your problem"
Miss George seized the crayon in an
instant of daring impudence, and wrote
off against the caricature, "plus his
blush equals" and then she paused.
Now the woman who hesitates, we
know, is lost.
"Can't you finish it9" asked her
teacher. 81 thought you had committed
your lesson. Give mo the crayon, if you
please"
equals Miss Jones, plus her imper-
Thence" he wrote.
"Now prove it, sir, if you please"
said Miss George, demurely.
You may take your seat, Miss Jones,
and finish your lesson after school,"
But presently the bell rung, and the
young lady whose business it was to an
swer the door brought up a note, which
ran thus:
"Will Mr.. Reed kindly dismiss Miss
George Jon at half-past ten, and
oD1ge ner aunt
Miss Jones. " said he, "you may be
dismissed"
"I2' she asked, with an air of sur
prise. 81 was to remain after school,"
Your aunt requests that you should
be dismissed"
"Oh, thanks" There was general
litter as Miss George decamped, casting
a triumphant look over her shoulder,
for they were all very we'll aware that
the note was fabrication of her own,
carried out by Miss Kew, who had been
dismissed on account of q violent fit of
snet zing, and returned by means Of
small urchin she had bribed with a
penny.
Unfortunately for Miss Georgie, Mr..
Reed, having au errand at the railway
station after school, encountered her
aunt just stepping from the train.
81 didn't know you were ont of
town." said he. "Have you been away
long?"
"Only weeks shopping. How is
George doing, Mr.. Reed? Do you
think she will graduate this year2 I'm
anxious, because she will have to teach
when she gets through"
"Indeed! hope she may find pu-
pills AZ docile as herself"
The next time Miss George brought
her pencil and requested Mr.. Reed to
sharpen it, as she sometimes did, he
a,ked: "Are you going to write me an
other note, Miss Jones p
"Another motel" she repeated.
when did I ever write you a note2"
"Can you say that you never did2"
"What do you mean, Mr.. Reed 2"
"What does this mean 2" and he pro-
duced the note in question.
She gave light laugh. "It means
yet. Ais fair in love and war, they
fay."
Mr.. Reeds face did not reflect her
smile, and George noted the fact with
establishment.
"Do you think this quite honest 2"
he asked.
"Honest |" she repeated, coloring.
81 certainly do not think it is polite to
call me dishonest" defiantly.
"Was it polite to deceive me2"
"Please give me my pencil" said
Miss Impertinence. "Your riddles are
too hard for me-" .t.# .it-
"You may take your seat, Miss
Jones'"
Miss Jones took her seat obediently,
and presently the bell rung in the lower
hall. A stranger might not have discov-
cred any connection between the two
facts; bul tine young ladies were allowed
to answer the bell by turns, and it so
happened that it was Miss Georgie's
week to perfom that pleasant office. She
rose quickly to the performance of her
duty. "Compose yourself, Miss
Jones" said Mr.. Reed. "Miss Samp-
son, if you will take charge of the
school, will answer the bell myself I"
There was a general litter, led by the
disgraced George, as he suspected, for
when he reached the lower hall, nobody
was to be seen, not so much as naughty
urchin scampering down the green or
peering from behind an elm. He went
quietly up stairs, but said nothing. The
next afternoon the bell rung again.
"You may go down, Miss Georgia" he
said. Miss George did as she was bid