Gloucester County Democrat., 1879-01-21
A WHITE ROSE AND A STRAW.

MI rrederlcK w Ondman, aged twenty
two was the master of the village school
of Peterborough, and one of the best little
men, as far as temper and looks were con
cerned, that you could possibly imagine.
All his scholars-and, in fact, almost
everybody liked him. Indeed, it would
have been very difficult not to like such a
wellspoken gentle and amiable little
gentleman.
On the day my story commences, how
ever, he was neither gentle nor amiable
He treated the schoolboys with anamount
of severity which surprised them greatly.
Directly he had dismissed the boys for
the day, he locked up the school, and
walked abstractedly into his own little
domicile, adjoining.
Taking off his hat he sat down upon a
chair, looking greatly worried, and then
burst out with
-" What fool | was to quarrel with lit
tie Nell last night What does it matter
if she does flirt might know by this
time that she likes me better than the other
wretch"
Having thus relieved himself, he rose,
sauntered out, and paced up and down
the little flower garden in front ofthe cot
tage.
Presently he was fired with an idea, and
returned TO the parlor muttering:
know. III write Nell loving and
penitent letter, asking her forgiveness for
my hastiness last night. First OF all, though
l, ii secure messenger,
1rottlng out to the end of his garden, he
soon sighted knot of pupils playing at
cricket, and selecting one called out :
Hi Briggs, my boy, / want you"
And In another minute upcame Briggs,
anxious to get in hismasters good books, :"
and hot from his exertions at cricket.
. Yes sir p painted he
Step in, and sit down a minute Briggs,
want you to take letter for me-
And the little schoolmaster went in,
While Briggs sat down on the porch, fan
ming himself with his old misshapenedIhat,
and wiping the perspiration from his face
on the sleeves of his smock.
MIR. Woodman had said he would write
a letter, but doing it he found very DIFF
ferent. He commenced five, one after the
other, tearing them all up in disgust
Then thinking Briggs would get tired of
waiting he employed a little artitice 10 de
tain his intended messenger. while he
made another attempt at long and peni-
tent letter.
Briggs, my boy,' said he, coming out
with pen on his ear, ''would you like a
piece of cake?''
"O1 think oi could eat ioost little
crumb, and thankee, SIR" said Briggs
smirking.
So our hero went in and cut him a
little crumb, weighing about half a
pound, brought it out on clean plate.
n hQn rafip pa1 ~. l.
say in his biStet-dous.
AS he sat considering, shappy
thought struck him. He would send
her message in flowers.
He reached to his book shelf, and took
down little book called "The Language
OF Flowers" which he at once began to
study, searching for an appropriate en-
blem.
'Union-a perfect straw,'o he read
An, that will do. Reunion is just
what l want Now for little flattery.
An, here it is: Delicate beauty-a
white rose. Hurrah That will do
splendidly. | have heard her say she
understands the language of flowers. 1t
was capital idea of mine
He hurried out into the garden, past
the astonished Briggs, and plucked a
beautiful white rose, after which he came
back, and asked Briggs ''if he could get
him wisp Of straw anywhere
''Oh, yes, sir, )" answered Briggs, much
astonished, and away he went, his mouth
full of cake, and soon returned bearing
the trophy, which he handed to our hero,
and resumed his cake and seat in the
porch, with serious doubts as to his
schoolmaster's sanity.
His reflections were interrupted by Mr..
Woodman coming out bearing an envel-
ope, which contained the rose and the
straw, carefully wrapped in scented wad-
ding and sealed. This he handed to
Briggs, with a smile and sixpence and
said
Make haste and take this to Miss Nor
rls, and bring me back reply"