Knoxville journal. [volume] (Knoxville, Iowa) 1874-1986, 1877-01-10
GLADYS Arundel.

ana SeNbHta -tNp' . ,, |
ers had assembled in the Principals
room in the great school-house on
yernal Heights and as STOPPING,
deiecte,l.looking, gray haired o'u
man recorded his name upon tue
slate living on a convenient desk, ne
looked wistfully at the biithe anu
lively girl who was slngingi in a Gear
Soprano voice the familiar snatch OF
of song:
Al the midsummer when tho has was down. :.
saidI mournfully, Though ny life II N rs
Bare lie my meadows, all scorched before their
time,
gbrouqb ray scorchcd woodlands the leaves are
turning brown
r,ts tho no, midsummer when the hay Is down
When she ceased, he walked OUT
etly out OF the room, and she laugh
inpIy exclaimed: II declare, girls,
thought old Dexter Ray would at
least cry 'Bravon after listening so
attentively to my musical perfor-
NANCE"
"My dear Miss Elmer, you may
make up your mind that Dexter nay
was impressed by the song, ana not
by the singer, remarked Mrs. were,
an elderly lady, who was teacher
in one or the upper grades, and the
wife OF the principal Of the school.
"What singular old creature he
seems 10 be- cried Miss Elmer: i
don't think he cares for politics or {
bIooded horses or young ladies at
all. !"
"He cared great deal for GER
tain young lady once upon time"
replied Mrs. We're.
sis it possible that The plodding
old pedagogue has had a particle OF
romance in his history? Dear Mrs.
We're. please tell me all about II, for,
as he teaches In room number one
and In number two, he is my next
neighbor. lie never speaks to me
except In regard to our classes, and
fear very much that he has never
felt sufficient interest in personal mp
pearance TO trouble himself TO ascer.
tain, by actual inspection, whether
my brilliant orbs are black or blue"
There was q general laugh among
the teachers, but Mrs. We're sighed
deeply before she spoke:
"If you will come 10 my room
after school hours, Miss Elmer, J
will sell you how tho falsehood ofn
woman, quite as young and much
more handsome than yourself,
dwarfed and tliwarted life that
seemed full Of hope and PROMISE
That very afternoon Miss Elmer
dismissed her pupils at the first tap
Of the bell, and assembled the three
flights Of stairs that led to more class.
zeal regions, wherein Mrs. We're pre-
pared her pupils FOR the high school,
aud as the shadows Of evening time
heightened over Vernal Heights,
the young girl listened with sor-
rowful heart TO The story Of Dexter
Bays unhappy life.
1t Is necessary for me TO 80 back to
time when you had not entered
into existence" began Mrs. We're.
"Twenty years ago there were but
four teachers on Vernal Heights.
Those teachers were my husband and
myself, at tbat TIME a very young
couple, and two assistants was
Dexter Ray, and the other a young
girl named Gladys Arundel. 1t Is,
hard to put Satan under your feet,
my dear, when he disguises himself
in the form Of charming woman.
She wasEa creature Of exquisite beau
ty, and although not absolutely with
out religion, think she was rs
worldly as any protesting Christian
could well be. ] sometimes wonder
cd IL the girl would ever settle down
quietly 10 egg-beatlng, flour-sifting
and sugar-rolling, for did not think
her at all domestic in her tastes, and
i did not SEQ how she could escape
such household av0cations, In case
she became the wife OF Dexter Ray.
Both Mr.. We're aud myself were
under the impression that they were
engaged. She taught In the room
you now occupy, md they were very |
frequently together. DO you know
that when the building was recon
strueted and enlarged, | begged and
pleaded with the trustees TO leave
those rooms as free Of charge az pos
sible. But to return To the main
point. You have no idea Of what
an agreeable, courteous gentleman
Dexter Ray was. lie was not fond
Of teaching; he meant the school
7'DAt" w VIZ HANppiHS .Dtpiit ~ ~ JNb
higher profession, and i felt sure
that at some future day he would be
an able and talented minister. This
Gladys Arundel, Of whom / told you
was as beautiful as an angel, but
ignorant of that true wo-
manly adjoining, the ornament OF
meek aud quiet spirit She loved
ociety and was much given to party
.oing, when she received q sufficient
mount OF homage 10 satisfy that
'anity which 1 verify believe was
he key note Of her whole character.
Dexter Ray seldom accompanied her,
put he seemed to desire always that
she should 90 and End such enjoy
nent as her nature crayed. He saw
no fault IN her, and TO tell the truth
she was In many respects even TO my
,ritirai eye q pearl among women.
"I'Iic vacation OF 1853 found Dex-
Ter Ray somewhat ailing, and The |