The Elk County advocate. [volume] (Ridgway, Pa.) 1868-1883, 1877-08-30

from another, I could see by the way
she felt about it that it was a great spite
to Mime. "He calls them pernicious
and exciting to the imagination, and in
urious to more practical requirements, -
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 it was
some imposition Of his. "He's a mar
row-minded idiot, and 1 shall tell him
SO if he persists in this notion" said
Mime.
eff he persists" I said, "you'd
better give it up. He's SO set in his
way, there's no use crossing him.
81 won't let him cross me-" said
Mime, and she didn't. She went on with
her pictures on the blackboard for 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 schoolmaster standing on
the threshold.
Mime started up, hot color leaping
into her face, and stood there confront
ing him like 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.
"I have come here to remonstrate
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
perament of youth. She must confine
herself strictly to the rules that govern
the method of instruction. The trus
tee -
"Don't put it on the trustees" broke
in Mime; and Twas glad she took it upon
herself to answer him, for 1 couldn't
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: "It 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, OF listen to me, or bother
with me at all 1t is not your class that
is disturbed, Mr.. Steele, it is you." The
schoolmaster's face suddenly redeemed,
then grew paler than before; he wiped
tho Porspirotion from, HE long, hisl fexs-
head, and his bony fingers actually
trembled on his knees. I don't wonder
he was mad, for Mime went on in 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 a sledge-hammer;
you hate to look over at the children
and me, and see us making light of our
task-it's gall and wormwood to you,
Mr. Steele"
"Hush, Mime !" I said, for I could
see that he was getting more and more
excited, and 1 didn't know but what
he'd fling the lamp at her head, or
something. 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 sitting
down to the table, she caught up pencil
and made the schoolmaster take every
ridiculous shape that she could. Her
eyes shone and her cheeks glowed, and 1
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. elf
you had the hundredth part of his intel
ligence, you might be glad"
" 1 thought you called him SO your
SELF" said Sam, meekly, for he was
head-over- ears in love with the young
termagant.
"If I did," said Mime, "it was alb
surd, and I'll never do it again. No,
Sam, I'll beat him with his own weapons.
I'll go to the trustees myself. If he
can wheedle and coax them, SO can 1;
and if he can bully them, perhaps can
do that too"
"You can do anything" said poor
Sam.
And soon after that Mime said she was
tired and sleepy, and sent Sam off, as
cool as you please. Then she got upon
her feet and walked about the floor.
and 1 could see she was terribly put
out and excited by the schoolmaster's
visit.
"You'll wear yourself out for moth
ing," said, for it vexed me to see her
all in fret that way from pure spite.
a" He'll break your health and spirits like
he did with that poor little body that
was here before you"
I" 1 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 schoolmaster 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 anybody as they did Mime, and lit
tie Bill Pritchard, 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 him
self; and Mr.. Pritchard he was one of
the trustees and thouoht the world and