The Somerset press. [volume] (Somerset, Ohio) 1873-1977, 1878-06-13
OUR STORY TELLER.
SALLIE'S EARS.
BY JULIA Z. ToRREY.

II Il ndu sucn Dlg ears rs oallle
Turner, I'd wear them corked all the
time," Indignantly exclaimed Maggie
Stone to group of girls by whom she
was surrounded. al do believe she's
got Indian blood in her veins, for she's
always listening-always 'on the track
that leads to some mischief"
"Why, Maggiep exclaimed gentle
Flora Ray, "where have Sallie's ears
been now? They're such pretty, dainty
little ears, too. I'd give anything, and
everything that i have to give to own a
pair Just like them, instead of these
great noppersp putting her hands up
to the lobes of her great, honest ears,
and laughing merrily while making
them flop backward and forward, like
flags huttering to the breeze.
"Why, Florap exclaimed half a
dozen voices, in n gentle remonstrance,
while Maggie sprang toward her, wound
her arms around her neck, and putting
a tender little hand over each of "the
floppers," declared, with considerable
feeling:
"We girls need these flags of peace
and we'd all go to war; if they should
draw themselves into a half-mast posi-
ton, wouldn't we, girlsf f
Yes, indeedP' in musical chorus.
But what has Sallie heard T' ques-
toned an anxious voice, "not all
about"
Yes, she has, too," interrupted Mag
gle, "and / don't see how she could, for
you know, girls, she was sound asleep,
and breathing hard, before we dared
even 10 whisper about our plans"
NThat aopnao Of hovipC 20 oIaax1 -,
dormitory," snapped out a girl that
was known among her schoolmates as
Sharp Scissors, because she clipped her
words out, just as scissors cut the
threads of long seam, with a sharp,
metallic click at each clipping.
"I don't see, anyway, why we should
be put to roost like so many chickens
perched up in an old hen house. Sallie
Is nothing but little bantam, to be
sure, but she can cackle as loud as
Shanghai Jane"
Sharp Scissors clip away, and if you
could only clip half Of Sallie's ears of
the school would be better" declared
Maggie in excited tones, SO loud anc
clear that they rang sharply through the
recreation hall, and tiugled the ears o.
Sallie herself.
Involuntarily Sallie put her hand
tight up to her head, as if she wer,
really afraid that her ears were in dan
ger Of being clipped off.
Then her face flushed crimson; dow
came her hands like two little bullets
ready to strike. She started up, thel
sat down again for a moment, openet
her hands and smoothed one, two O
three times over the other, as if sh
were trying to smooth away the angr,
thoughts she had clasped.
Sailie then felt, in puzzled way, al
around the rim of her ears, wondering
what made them feel so small, if half O
them needed clipping off.
81 don't believe it." she said to hel
self. "There's Flora Ray, with ear
big enough to make forty like mine, We
the girls always say she's got such good
nice ears. Ughp with a little shrue
hers might do well enough for
chrome girl, but Pm real oil paintin
kind OF girl, and my ears are not to
big, but as dainty and pretty as ear
can be, and Sharp Scissors shan't touc
'em. She looks sometimes as if She
like to jerk them out by the roots. Ho,
IT would hurtp with shudder, "a an
then I'd have no place to hang my di,
mond earrings. But do wonder
something isn't wrong about my ear
I've often heard the girls talk about m
ugly ears-when they didn't know ths
was around-girls that have the thicl
est, flappiest ears that ever heard a pi
drop. / don't understand it all" wit
another lingering of her dainty ears.
just look at Sallie" clicked ShaI
Scissors to the group at the other end
the room, she's rubbing her ears up
be in working order, but it's all waste
labor, as they work it seems even whs
she's asleep. How else could she ha,
found us out? You didn't tell u
Maggie"
Nor can / tell" answered Maggi
only heard Shanghai Jane and Ea
talking about it, and saying tn,
thought it was their duty to tell Mi
Holden"
g" Cackle, cackle, cacklel i found ,
egg / suppose they say" Clipped
Sharp Scissors.
"Won't it be awful mean to spoil o.
funp exclaimed one indignant voice
"Meanp snapped out Sharp Scissor
there's nothing too low for Bantam
peck at, and as for Shanghai Jane, she
cackle over nest egg"
Well, chimed in the soft voice
Flora Ray" believe Pm glad abo
1t, Tor i didn't feel the least bit ang
or indignant, and those queer shive
that have been creeping up and dov
my back all day have gone away. /
you know, girls, / can hardly endu
looking at Daisy Green? 1t seems iu
ms If her great, timid eyes had look
right through me, and found out he
wewere plotting against her tranquillit
And 80 l say let's go and tell M