The Republican. [volume] (Oakland, Md.) 1877-current, 1877-09-08

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,
3" and I'll punch the idiots head"
"Who are you calling an idiot?" said
Mime, turning straight upon him. " II
you had the hundreith part of his intel
ligence, you might be glad"
81 thought you called him so your
self" said Sam, meekly, for he was head
over ears in love with the young terma-
giant.
" If l did," said Mime, it was absurd,
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 of, as
cool as you please. Then she got upon
her feet and walked about the floor, and
l could see she was terribly put out and
excited by the school visit.
You'll wear yourself out for moth
ing" l said, for it vexed me to see her
all in fret that way from pure spite.
He'll break your health and spirits like
he did with that poor little body that was
here before you"
81 don't believe all those stories about
that woman, aunty. I've found out that
she had heavier troubles than those put
upon her by the school master. You
mustn't believe all 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 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 pencil him
self; 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 l said,
the continual worriment of it frctted
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 fidgety and contrary
than ever; and | don't believe everything
would have turned out as it did if Mime
had been in her sober senses. The girl
was about half wild, and l don't believe
she knew what she was about; for it
stands to reason she must have hated the
school'master, and yet when l began to
glory over his defeat, and say how glad
Sam Riley would be, she shut me up in
minute.
"Sam Riley and MIR. Steele" she said,
"are two very different men,"
81 should hope So" 1 said.
"Sam is made of different stuff" she
went on to say. 1.-The little pricks and
torments that sting the soul of Mr. Steele
to madness would be utterly unfelt by
Sam. Sam is good fellow"
"Thank you for SAM" l said, for she
was enough to provoke saint
But he has not the capacity for suf-
fering that Mr.. Steele has; and oh aunty,
he does sufferp'
Serve him right, the monster" said;
and had scarce got the words out of my
mouth when there was rap at the door.
l 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 a chair by the
door; his cane rolled down beside him
on the floor, and for full minute or so
he couldn't find 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 hollyhock.
My errand here, Miss Jemima," he
began, sis altogether friendly one.
You have so much spirit and determine
ton that think your present subordinate
position is unfit for you. know of one
that will be shortly vacant, which you
can fill with great credit to yourself and
all concerned"
"Pm much obliged to you," said Mime,
her lips beginning to curl, and the color
in her cheeks deepening to fame, -" but
I'm quite satisfied where l am. l can
we'll understand that you'd be glad to be
rid of me, but / must beg to decline.
Pm not going away from here"
but l am going away from here"
said the school-master, getting upon his
feet. 1T is my place that will be va
cant, and that l think you may have if
you choose"
You you" said Mime; and don't
wonder the child was astounded at the
news. was quite flustered 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 strug-
Cling into his face.
Dear! dear! the contrariness of womanl
No sooner was the door well shut on him
than Mime put her head down on the ia.
BILE and began to cry Her hair got loose
and fell all about her, and, to make the
matter worse, heard footstep outside,
and this time thought it must be Sam
Rilpv