The New Orleans daily Democrat. [volume] (New Orleans, La.) 1877-1880, 1878-01-13
A QUEER COURTSIIIP.
fHarper's Weekly.l

helpleesy). l was writing to brother Joshn
away down East, hundreds of miles from her,
md happened to tell him among other thing
that the widow lady that helped teach echo,
here, and boarded with me, was going away,
didn't say word one way or the other about M,
Steele. for what did IL matter to them wbethe
be was tyrant or nolF 1 only wanted to tell hin
I'D been at great deal OF expense in fitting u
The room, and didn't mind her board money 4
j much as did to have the ohamber idle agar
and nobody about the house but myself thong
she was poor company, being in low spirits th
most Of the time, and after while M arly drive
CRAZY by the continual badgerng and bickerin
81 Mr.. Steele. She used to come home a
night that worn out, what with the wckednes
Of the children and the eternal nagging OF th
oChoolmaeter, that have seen her nut ner hea,
T down on the table and cry Ut TO break her heart
She said she couldn't please him, do what sh
might, and IL was running her nerves to see hin
beat the boys In the way that he did. She wa
cheer her as best / could, telling her the bows
bones were tough, and the little rascas deserved
4 10 DO paid up for some OF their deviltry. Aftel
IN hour or two shed come again and be comforta
pie, but, La me what was the use2 The mex
day, perhaps she'd be worse than ever, and ths
creatures health began to fail so was glad wber
che gave up and went away. she was very down
hearted. Sam Riley, the stage-driver, said, all the
way down TO the train, and he gave it rs his
blAck.hearted tyrant.
Fam is such q good-natured fellow that II
quito wore upon his mind, and he STONED q hi
with me on his way to the evening train to talk ii
h over. wanted him to get some little things for
me Ut Pikeville, and while / was making out the
memorandum, Sam told me how he pitied what
ever poor body was to take that poor creatures
place.
You oan just fancy how felt when Sam drove
M to the door last night, and went out to get
the package, to see brother Joshua's daup liter
J0mims on the seat with Sam, chatting and
iaughing away as merry as . cricket. was
powsr,ul glada n to zee the child but dreadfally
driver. /! told Sam pretty sharply that he
ought 70 know better, for there was plenty of
room inside, and didn't know what the boarders
Dver the way would think of IL.
s'Ehe was bound to ride outside" said Sam.
ssAnd wiliful woman must have her way"
Why, It's oil the fashion up our way said
Alme. THE summer boarders swarm all over
ne tops OF the coaches like so many lovely bees;
bnt II u hurts anybodys feelings, I'm sorry. A
4chooi-marm must mind her ps and qs."
"a school marm2" / said, wondering what
che child meant. Then she told me she'd come
ont 70 take that poor little woman's place; that
she'd written to Mr. Steele as soon as NV letter
vas read at home, for she couldn't get along at
the school there.
III would take saint to put up with their airs
and their Interference and you know like to
nave ven my Own own way. sald my niece Jemima.
lfom child. Anybody could see from her hair
how fiery she was; but the dear child was lust as
sSs56 GOOD Lord had seen fit to make her and +
fCr one, never hold red-haired people accounta-
bic for freaks OF temper.
Only you can see how ridiculous It seemed to
me for her to teach under Mr.. Steele. t'Out OF
the frying-pan into the fire, Mime" said, "rhe
Nrhoolmaster has 1T all his own way here, and
he's little better than brute. I've seen under
my own eyes q woman's heart almost broken
With him. Then went on to tell how he'd tor
Mented that poor widow woman into giving nm
the place, and how I'd seen her worry and fret
~ the skin fairly dropped off her bones.
'pooh pooh !" said my niece; ''the skin won't
drop Off my bones, aunty,"
And i couldn't help thinking what pity 10 |
sMeuld be II II did, for whittier and finer and
Nholesomer skin never did see, It WIS the kind
that 90 often comes with red hair, and lovelier
eolor never was in blossom than bloomed in
Mines cheek when she cried out:
1--WE got to fight 1t out somewhere, aunty; let
him mind bis own business, and I'll mind mine
Ny heart fairly warmed to the girl rs she sat
eeppslte me at the table, cranching slice after
5rlSt&Isof toast between her white teeth and de-
Ne the danties one by one. The little
Ne40M mad been so finicky, and l had such poor
appetite myeelf. that thugs came and went upon
1he table. and were warmed up and fused over
w body got aa tired Of see, seeing them Then she
maker nose-a little high with Mime, and
1reckled over the bridge q bt-but she was |
bonny, blithe, fresh-ooking creature 60 different
from the wretched little woman that had Just |
couidn'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 |
dlshes for me, "what wen do. You shall stay at |
home with me and help about the shop There's |
honnets now and then to trim, and lots of little |
nicknacks in worsted work to be made
Now, aunty," said Mime, 50 buffalo would be |
las clumsy at trimming bonnet than would,
and as for worsted work"
q II suppose So" I said, for could see she was
6eeermined to teach.
The next morning che went to school, and for
month or 90 everything went right. and
enAde fun enough Of the schoolmaster, and said
~ didn't know how to manage the boye, and
made himself more trouble than was necessary;
1Aat coaxing word of hers went farther than q
loren siasnes with that rod OF his; but every one
I'D their own way, and 1t was of her business
ne WAS getting along spendidly, and the smaller
o6ildren were quite delighted with way she had
q picturing ont things on the blackboard. Mime
80 quite ready with her pencil, and had made
- laugh. Sam Riley and me, many time by
eotawling of funny concets on paper. Sam
inlay began TO drop In at night, and noticed
u was quite taken with Mime. Sam was we'll
do. and, outside OF his line Of stages, owned
- house down on the main road. Sam didn't
lind being hit off himself once in while-him
ND his horses and passengers and all; he used
n at back in his chair and laugh till the tears
ruled down hie cheeks, and look over at me,
wfnking and blinking and whispering what q
~onderful woman she was.
s'6he's as fresh and handsome ss q rose" he
&cnld say when Mime was out OF the room; 'and
Shat health she's got, and what spirits!"
+ could see how things were going. Dear!
I'LL used to cit and picture 1t all out to N.Y.
~ and think how nice it would be to have Mime
|S&tled near me for life. So when she came home
|Se Afternoon from school. with bright spot
Rxning on either cheek, an angry flame in her
-. and said to me that war had begun between
- and Mr.. Steele, I didn't so much mind, for
iouRht the sooner she got discouraged the
S6tef. Sam was on to thirty, and though
<ine's akin made her look younger than she
W fhere wasn't 90 much difference IS you might
1&nk between their ages.
ssHe's forbidden my Illustrations on the black
gord, aunty, /" said Mime: and though 1 didn't
now one Bit OF board from another, could zee
= the wsr she felt about Il that IL was great
6fte - Mime. ssHe calls them pernicious and
Rating to the imagination. and injurious 70
Iofe practical re suirements," said Jemima- And
couidn,t ouite e,t tie hang OF his objections, I
Z avery word of the schooimsster's was % long
j The moral law, bu. I conld tell y wsa some