Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1877-08-30


necessary; that coaxing word of hers
went farther than dozen slashes with
that rod of his; but every one had their
own way, and it was none of her bust
ness. She was getting along splendidly,
and the smaller children were quite de-
lighted with a way she had of picturing
out things on the blackboard. Mime
was quite ready with her pencil, and
had made us laugh, Sam Riley and me,
many a time by scrawling off funny
conceits on paper. Sam Riley began to
drop in at night, and [ noticed he was
quite taken with Mime Sam was well
to do, and, outside of his line of stages,
owned Il fine house down on the main
road Sam didn't mind being hit off
himself once in while-him and his
horses and passengers and all; he used
to sit back III his chair and laugh till the
tears rolled down his cheeks, and look
over at me, winking and blinking, and
whispering, under his breath, what a
wonderful woman she was.
"She's as fresh and handsome as a
rose" he would say when Mime was out
of the room; and what health she's
got, and what spiritsw
| could see how things were going.
Dear! dear! [ used to sit and picture it
all out to myself, and think how nice it
would be to have Mime settled near me
for life. So when she came home one
afternoon from school, with a bright
spot burning on either cheek, an angry
flame in her eyes, and said to me that
war had begun between her and Mr..
Steele, | didn't so much mind, for /
thought the sooner she got discouraged
the better Sam was we'll on to thirty,
and though Mines skin made her look
younger than she was, there wasn't so
much difference as you'd think between
their ages.
Hes forbidden my illustrations on
the blackboard, aunty," said Mime !;
and though [ didn't know one bit of
board from another, l could see by the
way she felt about it that it was a great
spite to Mime "He calls them PERM
cious and exciting to the imagination,
injurious to more practical require
ments," said Jemima And [ couldn't
quite get the hang of his objections, for
every word of the schoolmaster's was
as long as the moral law, but / could
tell twas some imposition of his. Hes
a narrow-minded idiot, and | shall tell
him SO if he persists in this notion" said
Mime
eff he persists" [ said, you'd better
give itup. He's SO set in his way, there's
no use crossing him."
Il won't let him cross me" said Mime,
and she didn't. She went on with her
pictures on the blackboard for a full
week or more, till one night there was a
rap at the sitting-room door, and it gave
me quite turn to see the long bony
| figure of the school-master standing ON
! the threshold.
Mime started up, hot color leaping
into her face, and stood there confront
ing him like a young Jezebel.
The man looked pale enough himself,
sinking into the chair [ set for him as if
he was quite worn and spent like, and
he seemed beat out in some way for
though he fixed his eyes savagely on
Mime, there was something in 'em that
looked tired and hunted.
II have come here to demonstrate
with your niece, madam" he said to
me, &" though I've found it of very little
use and profit heretofore but however
capable and efficient she may be, and
however judicious it may seem to retain
her services, her spirit of insubordina-
ton Is too dangerous an example to the
naturally rebellious and headstrong tenn
permanent of youth. She must confine
herself strictly to the rules that govern
the method of instruction. The trus-
tees"
Don't put it on the trustees" broke
i'll Mime and [ was glad she took it
upon herself to answer him, for couldnt
make out head or tail of what he was
saying, what with his long words and
the fuster | was in. "The trustees are
mere lay figures for you to dress your
petty schemes of conceit and tyranny
upon"
He waved his hand impatiently, and
went on: D." 1t is the will of the trustees
that you shall put aside the puerile and
reprehensible course you have taken in
exciting the imagination and creating
frivolous and mischievous emotions
The pursuits of my own class have
been interrupted, their attention dis
tracted-"
Why don't your class mind their
own business?" said Mime. "Why do
you look at me, or listen to me, or
bother me at all? 1t Is not your class
that is disturbed, Mr.. Steele, it is you"
The schoOl-master's face suddenly red
dened, then grew paler than before; he
wiped the perspiration from his long
high forehead, and his bony fingers act
ually trembled on his knees. | don't
wonder he was mad, for Mime went on
III the most outrageous way. Her spunk
was up, and she wasn't bit afraid of
him.
You can't bear to see knowledge
made easy and pleasant" she said
You'd like to knock every new idea
into the brain with sledge-hammer
you hate to look over at the children
and me, and see us making light of our
task-it's gall and NORWOOD to you,
Mr.. Steel"
Hush, Mime" 1 said for could see
that he was getting more and more ex-
cited, and | didn't know but what he'd
fling the lamp at her head, or some
thing But he mastered himself, and
up he got and went away without
another word and pretty soon Sam
Riley came In.
| thought we'd have nice evening,
for Mime was in high feather; and sit
ting down to the table, she caught up a
pencil and made the school-master take
every ridiculous shape that she could.
Her eyes shone and her cheeks glowed,
and | didn't wonder Sam couldn't take
his eyes off her face.
Say the word, Mime, said Sam, "and
I'll punch the idiots head"
Who are you calling an idiot?" said
Mime, turning straight upon Sam. If