The Cecil Whig. [volume] (Elkton, Md.) 1841-current, 1877-01-13
PRETTY PLOTTERS;
OR, A sCuooL-RooM FILTRATION.

out for them both, Hart. And now, good
bye. I'll pray FOR your success
With this my friend, by whose in huence
was installed in the academy of Marlboro
as principal, turned to leave me.
"Wait a moment, Mr. Jeif'ries," l said:
chow can keep"
"Clear of them ~ he added, with a sly
laugh. "Draw your own inferences.-
Handsome young men with light purses
must make light hearts. When you catch
a glimpse of your pupils You will under
stand me. haven't been a teacher here
for five years for nothing
"Thank you! thank YOU
With this l gave my friend my hand, and
thus we parted. An hour later | was
seated at my desk in the pleasant school
room, looking about me with no small
degree of interest for the two pupils of
whom my friend had spoken, and wonder
ing the meantime if his kindly, we'll meant
caution would not bring me at once face to
face with the very danger which he had
wished me to avoid.
; cunning az my own SoHCGil, dilu
to find i'll the three score faces before me
one that was particularly stamped with
pride, or one that was marked with mis-
chief, turned to my books.
| Something like quick whisper broke
through the stiffness of the room as | did
SO. | glanced up. Every conntenance
bore unmistakabIe signs of occurrences.
/ Smiling again at my thoughts | turned
second time to my books, and this time
big apple started from one of the back
seats and came rolling down the aisle.
! The incident was slight: but taken in con
nection with my reflection and my friends
! parting words, it annoyed me. | picked
up the apple, laid it on the desk, and
glanced in the direction from whence it
came.
Goodness. what pair of blue eyes were
raised to mine at that moment. Eyes
saucy, daring and almost wicked, which
wavered and frightened like two beautiful
stars. This was Lizzie Dane | was quite
sure of that; the red mouth was dimpled
about by smiles; and the white chin quiv-
cred with suppressed merriment.
GA good beginning thought; it au-
ours we'll for the future"
Just then the school room door was dark
ened, and looking up, l saw Charlotte
Arden. My friends caution was well.
How like beautiful picture she was, as
she stood there, her fine head covered with
pretty braids, perfectly poised, her figure
straight, round and perfect, Brought out
by the strong, clear light The very fall
of the SOFT white robe, as well as her sen-
der, gathered foot, just visible beneath the
folds of her sweeping skirt, was artistic.
She stood, as if hesitatng whether or not
it was best for her to enter the school room,
and her manner was quiet and calm.
Miss Lizzie Dane telegraphed to her with
her sparkling eyes to enter. This failing
to have the desired effect. she doubled up
| her white, chubby hands, and held them to
her mouth, trumpet fashion. suppressed
the smile that was rising to my lips, and
turned to Miss Arden, saying:
Have you selected a seat 30
"No, sir, | have not she answered,
without moving forward single step.
"You may do SO now, if you please l
said
She glanced up and down the long rows
of seats several times, and then tnrned to
a side desk but short distance from my
table
"This one, SIR she said, raising her
eyes for single moment to my face, and
then turning them inditlercntly away.
l bowed, in approval of her choice,
though at the same time it did not please
me. | did not care to have her so near,
ctiticising everything l did, which | felt
sure she would.
At the quarter hour of intermission, Miss
Arden and Miss Dane passed the time in
pacing arm i'll arm, back and forth on the
blank space of floor before my desk. |
could have wished, and did wish that they
had chosen any other promenade, but not
knowing how to help myself, unless sent
them out of doors to play, like two little
children in pinafores, | raised the lid of
my desk between their faces and mine, and
pretended to be engaged in setting my
books and papers to rights.
Children in pinefores. | smiled grmly
to myself As the andacious thought entered
my head. Children they both Were, said
to myself, unceremoniously thrustng my
head above the temporary screen to confirm
my opinion by good look at them-a
| proceeding which made Miss Lizzie toss
her curly head in a disconnected attempt
at carelessness, and brought a dash of eX.
quisite color to the one velvet cheek of
her companions face, which was revealed
to me-
And as for pinafores," | said, sulkily,
continuing my soliloquy, and drawing in
my head again like a turtle, elm sure
they'd be vastly more appropriate and be-
coming than that little pinked and seal
loped and puckered affair of plain silk
which Miss Lizzie wore under the digniiied
name of apron
Such saucy little pockets, fixed off with
gimp and things-the corner of tiny note
and the profile of big yellow orange
revealed from the distended mouth of one,
and tace edge of handkerchief, with a
captivating rent in it, hanging jauntily
from the other; such wicked, knowing
tassels, such lengths of variegated silk
cord round, and round her pretty waists
as though once started it had lost its way,
and been travelling in a circle ever since
instead of going straight ahead as any sens
ible cord would have done that had been
stout enough not to get becoiicd on the
road. 1t looked contented though, as if it
didn't care white for the predcament it
was in, or whether it ever went straight
again, as it could have the charming route
, to travel round and round, and | began to
! wonder.
He is splendid Lot, isn't hep
Miss Daue's voice broke my wanderings.
was modest in those days and blushed