The new dominion. [volume] (Morgantown, W. Va.) 1876-1904, 1877-09-08
like he did witb that Door little body that

like he did with that poor little body that
was here before you"
don't believe all those stories about
that woman, aunty. I've found out she
had heavier troubles than those put upon
her by the school-master. You mustn't
believe all that you hear"
That was the way with Mime-she was
that contrary when she was vexed that
she'd swear black was white, and take
the part of the Evil One himself.
She began from that time out to fight
hard for her own way, and it got to be
pretty well known she was winning over
the trustees. The children had never
liked any body as they did Mime, and
little Bill Prtchard, that used to
play truant half the time, and would
rather take beating any day than be
pent up in school, went there as regular
as clock-work now, and began to mark
out horses and dogs with stump of a
pencil himself; and Mr.. Pritchard he
was one of the trustees, and thought the
world and all of my niece Jemima.
But somehow or other, just as | said,
the continual worriment of it fretted
Mime, and she got thin and lost her
pretty color; and the night she came
home and said she had got the best of
the school-master, and the notice had
been served on him that day that he was
to let her have her own way of teaching,
that night | made up my mind it was
about time it was settled in some way,
for Mime was more fdgety and contrary
than ever; and / don't believe every
thing would have turned out as it did
if Mime had been in her sober senses.
The girl was about half wild, and don't
believe she knew what she was about
for it stands to reason that she must
have hated the school-master, and yet
when began to glory over his defeat,
and say how glad Sam Riley would be,
she shut me up in minute.
"Sam Riley and Mr.. Steele" she said
care two very different men,"
should hope So" | said
Sam is made of different stuff" she
went on to say. "The little pricks
and torments that sting the soul of Mr..
Steele to madness would be utterly I'M
felt by Sam. Sam is good fellow"
Thank you for SAM" l said, for she
was enough to provoke a saint.
"But he has not the capacity for suf-
fering that Mr.. Steele has; and oh,
aunty, he does suferW
"Serve him right, the monster"
said and had scarce got the words out
of my mouth when there was rap at
the door. / went over, thinking it was
Sam Riley, when there was the thin,
gaunt face of the school-master again.
He came in and bowed as grave as an
OWL and sat down on the chair by the
door; his cane rolled down beside him
on the floor, and for full minute or SO
he couldn't find a word out of that long
dictionary in his head.
l was glad to see that Mines spunk
came back at the sight of him. Her
eyes were as bright as they could be,
and her cheeks like the heart of holly
hook.
"My GRAND here, Miss Jemima," he
began, " is altogether friendly one.
You have so much spirit and determine
ton that think your present subor-
dinate position is unfit for you. / know
of one that will shortly be vacant, which
you can fill with great credit to your
self and all concerned
"Tm much obliged toyou," said Mime,
her lips beginning to curl, and the color
in her cheeks deepening to flame,
but Pm quite satisfied where am.
can well understand that you'd be glad
to be rid of me, but | must beg to de-
cline. I'm not going away from here"
But ! am going away from here, y
said the school-master, getting upon his
feet. cit is my place that will be
vacant, and that | think you may have
if you choose"
" You-you!" said Mime; and I don't
wonder the child was astounded at the
news. j was quite hustered myself.
Yes" said the school-master; you
can have your own way now" And he
went out the door, bowling awkwardly
as he went, a queer miserable smile
struggling into his face.
Dearl dear the contrariness of wo-
man! No sooner was the door well
shut on him than Mime put her head
down on the table and began to cry
Her hair got loose and fell about her
and, to make the matter worse, heard
a footstep outside, and this time
thought it must be Sam Riley.
For goodness sake, Mime" | said
don't let Sam Riley see you in this
wayw
But the door opened, and there stood
the school-master again. He said he had
come back for his cane; but he never
even stopped to pick it up, but stood
staring at Mime as if she was a ghost
instead of the fresh, pretty, wholesome
creature that she was. She raised hel
head, and though her face was half hid
den by her hair, her eyelashes were wet
and the tears not dried yet on hel
; cheeks
The school-master not minding me
any more than if was block of wood
or something, walked straight over tc
Mime.
You know very WELL" he said
" that am only going away from here
because love you. Because it was no,
the class that was distracted by you1
pretty ways and devices; it was [. You
know all this very well, and can tell me
whether | had better go or not. Now
tell me, shall | stay?'
You might have knocked me down
with feather when / saw Mime put her
hand out timidly to the school-master
and he turn pale and catch it in his own
"Of course not" broke in, for | was
near distracted by the way things were
going. eff you're an honorable man,
and got any sense left, and an eye in
your head, you'd see that my niece is as
good as engaged to Sam Riley"
Sam Riley!" said Mime, as scornful
as II poor Sam was toad or something,