The Princeton union. [volume] (Princeton, Minn.) 1876-1976, 1879-03-05
WILD BECKY.

| IL lucIt was Ouc luluS ludC tuc COUNTY,
folks OF Millville were proud OF, over anc
above the new organ IN their "meetin'
house," il was the Millville boarding
school, which capped the very topmos
pinnacle Of their village. A light
upon hill, which shed its literary radi
ance over the whole place.
Cynthia Adams was the only day
scholar; but she was the squire's daughter
and it was matter Of course that hel
schooling should be something beyond
that of tine rest of the village girls.
| One day, as the scholars were hanging
over the school-yard fence, or sitting in
bell to ring, they heard man with a
lusty pair of lungs shouting, "Gee, haw
git up thar'' in voice so loud that it
threatened to shake the hills.
"That is one of OLD Miiler's whispers, I
do believe" laughed Cynthia. Hes a
farmer about here, with roaring voice.
Such queer fellow as he is to be sure.
l wish you girls could see him."
II wish I might answered fun-loving
Mile King. "Does he live far from
here?'
His house is way down by the edge
of the town, beyond the pine woods; they
call the place Biscuit City,"
"Why? Because they have so many
biscuits there2" asked dozen voices at
once.
Cynthia shook her head.
- guess it is because they don't have
them,' she said; "perhaps they wish they
| did, ana so called it that. All I really
know about it is that there does not seem
i to be any one there to cook much, any
| way; for Farmer Miller lives alone with
age"
"COuldnt she make buscuits?" per-
sisted Mile, unwilling to give up the
idea that they abounded at Biscuit City,
Becky I'd like to see anything
decent that Wild Becky could make. No
one in the village will have anything to
do with her, for she's such wild, harum-
scarum thing, and so green, too, that
you'd mistake her for grass, Just as like
! ~ as not.''
Cynthia stopped abruptly, tor the
'Geehaws" sounded nearer every moment.
! and now pair of oxen came numbering
over the hill, followed by rickety hay
cart, at the end of which was poised a
bareheaded young person in cloud of
dust. Her ample bonnet swung from the
top OF one Of the poles which formed the
sides of the cart, evidently for the pur-
pose of proving to the passers. by that she
possessed such an article, though she did
not choose to wear it. She looked up at
1t rather wistfully, however, as her COM
panion, Farmer Miller, with laundering
ordinations, drove the cart up to the
school-house gate.
"Pile out, Becky!" he roared, land
We'll soon fix 1t with 'em here. Don't be
skeered. gal. Be you the school marm ?'
The question was addressed to Miss
Peters, the principal, who at this juno
ture came politely forward.
IL haven't much larnin' myself, ma am"
he continued, "but I'm bound that nv
gal here shall have as good a chance as
the rest of 'em. She's good gal, Becky
is, only trihe wild-like, and needs SET
ting BIT. I'm better hand at settling
bills than lively young creatures like
this one. so if you'll tend to one, I'll tend
to t'cther;' and handing the poor girl
over, rumbling her bonnet after her, he
was halfway down the hill before Wild
becky had made up her mind whether
she would be settled or not.
1t was very disagreeable standing there
with all the girls staring at her, she
thought: and glancing shyly out from un-
der her long lashcs, her eyes rested glad
" on the familiar features of the sources
| daughter.
How do, Cynthia?" she said, nodding
in such civil way that it surprised her
self.
Cynthia looked blankly into her face a
moment without making the slightest
sign OF recognition, then wheeling around
on her heels, she turned her back square
ly upon her.
A litter went around the yard; every
one seemed amused but poor Becky y, who
shut her mouth tightly, and her heart too
for that matter, and fairly hated her kind.
AS she joined the crowd squeezing into
the school-house, she wondered why she
had ever consented to be brought to
school. The old wild life perfectly con-
tented her. To roll about for hours un-
der the wide-spreading oaks with the
friendly squirrels, or to chase the brook
as it dashed gayly down the hills, was
much pleasanter than tie society of 9th
er girls, she had always thought.
But the fact was, her grandfather had
taken it into his dear old head to make a
lady of her, and rather than disappoint
the kind soul who had done so much fo1
her, Wild Becky had made desperate
effort to plume herself down that morn
ing into a civilized girl, and mingle with
her fellow-beings.
1t was harder even than she had i'm
agined; the close school-room almost
sstlt1ed her, while the dull, monotonous
hum Of 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 IA sl, up quickly great bouncing butter
up into the air. Now this was a plav-
mate that Wild Becky never could resist
without half realizing where she was, she
burst into loud laugh; and was making