The Vancouver independent. (Vancouver, W.T. [Wash.]) 1875-1910, 1879-05-15

her, Wild Becky made a desperate eff
fort to plume herself down that morn
ing into civilized girl, and mingle with
her fellow-beings.
1t was harder, even, than she had
imagined the close school-room almost
stified her, while the dull, monotonous
hmm of voices had such Supplying eff
feet that, before she had been seated
long, her head dropped on her desk and
she fell asleep She was awakened by
something tickling her nose; putting her
hand up quickly, great bouncing but
terfy futtered through her fingers and
shot up into the air. Now, this was a
playmate wild Becky never could resist;
without half realizing where she was,
she burst into loud laugh, and was
making dive for it, when, recollecting
herself, she slid down again into her
seat, with the painful consciousness that
all eyes were upon her. The pair that
terrified her most were those on the plat
form-not Miss Peters's eyes but those
of another teacher, who had come in
during BeclSy's nap.
''Where did you come from ?" asked
the woman sharply, for she was indig-
nant at the interruption Of her class.
biscuit City, ma'am," was the prompt
reply.
ga land productive of biscuits and
rude girls" returned the teacher, face
tiously, at which the other scholars, par
ticularly the older ones, laughed most
obligingly.
"Unless you can command yourself,
you had better return there at once, she
continued.
Wild Becky did not need much urging
on that score. AS quickly as possible
she sprang from her seat, and vaulting
through the open window, swung herself
to the ground as neatlyas boy couldhave
done it, for she was in great wrath. So
off she trotted, never looking behind her
until she brought up at her kitchen door.
Through the opening she could see
her grandfather bending over the big
brick stove
"Sakes alive School amt out yet,
be it q be asked, lifting himself up to
get good view of the clock.
Becky flung herself down on the steps
and poured forth her injuries, winding
up with declaration of independence.
"I'll never go again; never. You will
not ask it of me, will you, grandfather
"Not if you're set ag'in it," said the
old man, with a sigh; and he passed into
the buttery and brought out heaping
dish of pancakes
81 thought as how you'd come home
hungry, and so made lot of EN-"
Becky had a weakness for pancakes,
and was quite touched with the atten
ton. She moved chair near them and
tried to eat; but somehow they seemed
to stick in her throat. The idea that
her grandfather was sorely disappointed
made them very hard to swallow.
what makes you care SO much about
my being a lady2" she said at length,
laying down her knife and fork and look
ing fxedly at him.
The old farmer wiped his glasses care
fully.
81 dun know" he answered 'p'r'aps
it's cause your mother would have liked
it; she used to take to larnin, and to
gentle ways, and grand folks, as naturally
as horses take to hay. l wanted you to
be like her but laws me faint in natur
s you could be that kind any than a hen
could be gosling. 1t don't matter.
"Yes it does, grandfather" and Becky
jumping up wound her arms around his
neck and shed tear or two on the back
of his waistcoat-
at isn't that I'm so against the learn
ing" she continued, cts the folks can't
stand.
"Well, some Of ems rather tryin',
answered the fai mer "but there's one
powerful queer thing in human natur'.
If you feel agin a man, do favor for
him, an you're sure to like him better.
There's Squire Adams used to hate
him like fury; but since I've been in
the habit of lending on him my yoke Of
oxen, I've got the better on it.
"Well, yrandpr, I'll so to school just
one day longer to lend 'em to his daugh-
ter. Such fxed-up city girls haven't the
slightest idea Of how to have good
time. ] might bring them down here