The Bolivar bulletin. [volume] (Bolivar, Hardeman County, Tenn.) 1865-1888, 1879-11-06
ADELINA.

cold, clear Tuesday mOrning-that
disconsOlately wended my way to school,
wishing that holidays came oftener and
stayed longer, and regretting that out
OF tifty-two there was only one week of
uninterrupted pleasure.
The old red schoOl-hOuse stood at the
junction of three roads, and as l raised
the little hill just before reaching it, /
saw coming from the opposite direction,
little black-clad figure that looked like
moving blot on the unbroken white
ness of the snow-coyered landscape |
never could tell what actuated me to
iinger on her movements as | did, or
why she so strangely attracted me, but
from the first, | think | must have loved
the child, even before | was old enough
to slightly understand the meaning of
the word.
We reached the worn old door-stone
together, and, being a boy, not at all
afraid to speak to any one, much less a
timid little girl, very coolly asked her
if this was her first day at school
o." Yes; and | dread it so much.' -
1t was the sweetest voice | had ever
heard or have ever heard since. The
peculiar rising infection on the last word
was like the short, clear, low notes of a
bird, and as purely natural.
Do you come every dayP'
Z" Haven't missed n day this winter -
Oh, am so glad!''
Why are you so gladP"
3" Because you are n good boy. Won't
you please tell me your name?"
'' Edward Durand.'' -
/" like the name," she said sweetly,
and, boy as l was, wondered how any
mortal ever came by such an angel
smile. All this time she had been try
ing to unite the round worsted strings
of her hood, but had only succeeded in
drawing them into n harder knot
g Won't you please unite it for me,
Eddie?"
She held up her little cold chin, and
without moments hesitation l bent
down and did as she requested. 1t was
such-a tender, confidino little face-who
could help loving it? / patted encour-
agingly the rose-red cheek turned to-
ward me in gentle truthfulness, and
bade her not to be afraid, for she had as
good right to come to school as any
one.
"Hallo! where did that little black
bird come from?n cried kind-hearteC
Ben Phillips as we entered. Come
along, little girl, and get warm, for you
look half frozen.'
A general tittering and nudging fol
lowed Ben's energetic seating of the new
scholar, and one saucy little mink, not
understanding its significance, asked
pertly:
"What are you looking so like a crow
forP | hate a black dress"
- Hush!" reproved an older girl, whC
overheard the remark. Hush, Sue
don't you see she is in mourningP''
The voice that had so charmed me il
the entry answered the question in
strangely quiet way
. My father is dead!"
a hush as of death fell upon the nois,
group gathered around the old cracked
stove The unwonted silence wa
broken by the entrance of the teacher
who Immediately raped us to order
after which he briskly called up the nev
scholar.
"What is your nameP"
Adelina." ="
Mr. Pike looked wise.
"Adehna Lagrange, l suppose; ant
YOU are the daughter of the lady who ha
recently taken the Baldwin cottageP''
- Yes, sir
Wei, you may take this seat, a." point
ing to bench not far from where | wa
sitting, and without further questionin
Adelina had passed through the tTyin
ordeal of ''t first day." and was dul
counted one of us.
Her mother, it was rumored, was
lady of refinement and culture, but yer
proud and reserved in her demeanor fo
a person who was obliged to teach mt
sic for a living. Mrs. Lagrange, at an
rate, was young, handsome, and recent
widowed-at least the length and new
ness of her veil indicated to observin
feminine eyes that the bereavement wa
recent, and that is all the gossips kne,
about her.
The summer term brought Adelin
again to the old red school-hOuse, but $
changed outwardly that we hardly kne
her for the somber " blackbird > of til
previous winter. She iuttered in or
morning dressed in white, with sash an
shoulder-knots of cherry ribbons-tt
loveliest creature / ever saw.
At noon she came to me and said, ven
gravely:
"After to-day am not coming al
more.n
"WhyP"
81 am going to the city to live; b.
you were kind to me the first day l cam
and / tell you for that reason, and b
cause you didn't mind untying my hoo
for me-
felt her going so keenly that cou
not study, try as | would, and in co
sequence my grammar lesson was a d.
cided failure. l went home from scho
her way that day, taking care that Il
other scholars should not suspect N
motives.
When | came in sight of her she W;
standing motionless by the roadsid
attentively watching yellow-jack