Daily globe. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn.) 1878-1884, 1878-03-31

Bushnell who was himself verging on
eighty.
s.Well, after all, declared Elder Knox,
! st amounts to about this: Denike has
more interest in this thing than any body
else. He wants Miss Pennyfeather, and
she ought to be appointed"
And that settled it.
/ In all her life Maud Pennyfeather had
never passed happier time than those
three months. Never, indeed, had
months passed so quickly. In her rela-
tons with Mr.. Denike the industrial
school had from the very first, been top
| ic of absorbing interest. The legislation
affecting it was drawn in Mrs. Penny
feathers neat little parlor, and al the de-
tails were there arranged from evening
to evening between the conspirators.
Having secret of this profound and i'm
portant character, their friendship became
! peculiarly intimate and informal. Had
it not been for the picture in Mr.. Denike's
pocket book, Maud might have imagined
there was some purpose in his attentions.
But of coarse the fact Of the picture left
Maud no reason to infer anything of the
kind. And, strange to say, while
she fancied she was glad Of this, she more
than once found herself entertaining a
feeling of positive resentment against the
pretty original, and vindictive desire
to abstract the picture and tear it up. II
is only fair, though, to say that Maud,
when she recognized these improper SEN
timents. would blush with shame and
vexatlon and crowd them down in the
heart.
It used to annoy the girl; indeed, she
could only hardly account for it, that
when she first knew Mr.. Denike she was
quite unembarrassed in his presence,
but that now, when she went down stairs
to meet him, it would be with flush up
on her cheek, and tremor in her voice.
Try as she might, she could not regain
the composure of their carrier acquaint-
ance. She hoped it escaped his attention
Perhaps itdid. Thatshe was being urged
for the position of principal of the new
enterprise, she was quite unaware.
The evening of the committees de-
cisien, Denike found her in her parlor.
"You remember you told me once"
he said, when both were seated, "that it
was your highest ambition to have charge
Of such school as ours"
Maud NODDED, and looked at him-with
question in the look.
The opportunity has fallen to me-" he
went on gravely, ''of gratifying your am
bition."
The color went away all at once from
her face. She did not say word
"The School Board, Miss Pennyfeath-
er, have concluded to offer you the APP
pointment as principal of the new school.
/ This letter." and he handed her the envel-
ope, 6 contains the official announce
ment."
The girl took it mechanically, holding
! it unopened in her hand
81 have great pleasure in congratulate
ing YOU" he continued. "To attain ones
ambition, Miss Pennyteather, ought to be
an occasion for congratulations ought it
not?"
She looked up at his question then
dropped her eyes nervously. "Thank
you," she said. It was all she could say.
This, then, was the end of it all. To
be sure, twas the end Maud had wished.
Three months ago, she had no dearer
desire. Had anything taken lis place?
Was Maud decided about herself after
all, and did she have no ambition dearer
than that.
And so Maud woke up-to find the
thing that had seemed best to her now
within her reach, but stale and unproft
able; the thing for which she hadn't cared
out of her reach, but Of all things in the
world the most to be desired. And yet
she could not complain. Mr.. Denike
had only taken her at her word, and in
tercsted himself in friendly way, to her
to realize her aspirations. Now he would
go off and marry the girl in the picture,
whom by this time, Maud absolutely hat
ed; and she would be left to teach an in
dustrial school to the end Of her days.
But she never would let Mr.. Denike
know how it panied her-never So she
forced back the tears and steadied her
voice, and said in a low, quiet tone:
ssThank you very much, Mr.. Denike
you have been very kind.
His own voice, seemed to tremble
little when he spoke.
"But I'm going to offer you an alter
native" he said.
Maud looked up, she was quite indiffer
ent now to what he might say.
81 want to know" he CONTINUED, il
that still remains your highest am
bition--or, if as people sometimes do you
may have changed it,
Maud gazed at him with open eyes
quite uncertain what he meant. Was he
going to offer her some other position
Itwas all one to her which she took.
81 may be asking you to give up {
good deal, !" he went on, without waiting
for her reply; ''indeed, it strikes me a.
rather impairment on my part, knowing
how strongly you've set your heart OF
this thing, but must take my chance.
want to ask you, Miss Maud, before YOU
} conclude to settle down in life as a teacher
, if you won't consider the idea of becom
ing my wife,
Mr.. Denike did not get any further
than that. If he intended to, he wa.
, summarily cut short. For Maud making
a vain effort to control herself, at length
I gave way, and, leaning back against tn,
? sofa, cried as though her heart would
break. Happily, Mrs. Pennyfeather wa
7 out. and there was no risk of interruption