The New Orleans daily Democrat. [volume] (New Orleans, La.) 1877-1880, 1878-12-08
A QUEER COURTSHIP.

You know how 1t Is In a letter (began the
little shopkeeper, rubbing her thin hands to
gether helplessly). / was writing to brother
Joshua away down East, hundreds OF miles
from here, and happened TO tell him, among
other things, that the widow lady that helped
teach school here and boarded with me was
going away. didn't say word, one way or
the other, about Mr.. Steele; for what did 1t
matter to me whether he was tyrant or not2
only wanted to toll him that had been at a
good deal of expense In fitting up the room
and / didn't mind her board money so much
as did to have the chamber idle again, and
nobody about the house but myself, though
she was poor company at the best, being
sickly in constitution and low In spirits the
most OF the time, and after while nearly
driven crazy by the continual badgering and
pickering of Mr.. Steele. She used to come
home at night that worn out, what with the
vickedness of the children and the eternal
hagging OF the scboolmaster that I've seen
her put her head down on the table and cry fit
to break her heart She said she couldn't
please him. do what she might. and 1t was
running her nerves to SEQ him beat the boys
In the way he did-sle was sure he'd break
best could, telling her that the boys bones
were tough and the little rascals deserved to
be paid up for some Of their deviltry. After
an hour an two she'd come round again and
be comfortable, but la mel what was the
user The next day, perhaps, she'd be worse
than ever and the creatures health began to
fail. 50 was glad when she gave up and went
away She WAS very down hearted. Sam
Riley, the stage-drver, said all the way
down to the train, and gave 1t as his opinion
that Mr.. Steele was no better than black
hearted tyrant.
Sam is such good-natured fellow that 1t
quite wore upon his mind and he stopped a
bit with me on his way TO the evening train
to talk it over l wanted him to get some
little things for me at Pikeville, and while |
was making out the memorandum Sam told
me how he pitied whatever poor body was to
take that poor creatures place:
You can just fancy how | felt. when Sam
drove up to the door at noon and ! went to
to get the package, to see brother JOShua'S |
daughter Jemima on the seat with Sam,
chatting and laughing away as merry as n
cricket. ] was powerful glad to see the child,
but dreadfully mortified to find her tucked up
there with the driver. ! told Sam pretty
sharply that he ought to know better, for
there was plenty of room inside, and didn't |
know what the boarders over the way would
think of it.
"She was bound to ride outside" said Sam,
"and willful woman must have her way"
why it's all the fashion up our way" said |
Mime. "The summer boarders swarm all
over the tops of the coaches like SO many
lovely bees; and II it hurts any bodys feel
ings, In sorry a good schoolmarm must
"a schoolmarm?" said, wondering what
the child meant.
Then she told me she'd come out to take
that poor little woman's place, that she had
written to Mr.. Steele as soon as my letter was |
read at home, for she could not got along
with the school there
1T would take saint TO put up with their
airs and their interference, and you know |
like to have my way" said my niece Jemima.
per from child. Any body could see from
her hair how fiery she was; but the dear
child was just as the good Lord had seen fit |
to make her; l, for one, never hold red-haired
people accountable for freaks of temper: only |
her to teach under Mr. Steele ''Out Of the
frying pan into the fire. Mime" | said. "The |
schooimaster has 1t all his own way here and
he's little better than a brute. I've seen under
with him"
Then went on to tell how he'd tormented
that poor widow woman into giving up the
place, and how I'd seen her worry and fret till
the aS skin fairly cropped of her bones,
Pooh! poohr' said my niece "the skin |
won't drop off my bones. aunty." And
couldn't help thinking what pity 1t would
be If 1t did, Tor whittier, finer and wholesomer
skin never did see. 1t was the kind that so
often comes with red hair. and a lovelier color
never was in a blossom than bloomed in
Mines cheek when she cried out, I've got
to fight it out somehow, aunty; let him mind
his own business and I'll mind miner
MY heart fairly warmed to the girl as she
sat opposite me ut the table, crunching slice
after slice Of toast between her white teeth,
and devouring the dainties one by one The
little widow was so dainty. and had such a
poor appetite myself that things came and
went upon the table, and were warmed up
and fused over, till body got tired Of seeing
them. Then she was my own flesh and blood,
and the Schoonmaker nose, little high with
Mime, and freckled over the bridge bit, bat
she was a bonny. blithe. fresh-looking crea-
ture, SO different from the wretched little
woman that had just gone away. couldn't
bear the thoughts Of her spirits and health
being broken by that dreadful Mr.. Steele. :,
"I'll tell you, Mime" | said. as she dried
the dishes for me, what we'll do. You shall
stay at home with me and help about tho
ehop; there's bonnets now and then to trim;