The Indiana State sentinel. [volume] (Indianapolis) 1868-1895, 1879-05-07
MISS MAY.
IHarper's Magaz1ne.l


Tom Kingsley was loungIng in the bay win
dow OF the little sitting-room, his Latin and
Greek books all around him, and, what was
worse, a broad snow-covered hill before him,
down which sled after sled was gliding with
the most tantalizipg rapidity. Tom was 20,
and devoted to learning, but he was not
above q good coast when the chance pre-
sented itself Occasionally he favored his
sister, who was the only other occupant of
the room, with very audible growlings
against the restrictions of study hours.
The two were students in the academy
whose mathematically square buildings rose
almost opposite to the Kingsley house.
They were nearly of an age; but the one was
preparing to enter college; the education OF
the other was considered nearly completed.
The two young people, with their father and
mother, made up the whole family; but Mr..
Kingsley, in the simple, unpretending way
of the village. received into his house as
boarder one of the academic professors, and
also occasional students when they happened
to be friends of the children. 1t was this
frst-named individual who was exciting
Toms attention, in lack of anything better
to look at.
s'May," he said. jerking his head oyer his
shoulder with quick, CHARACTERISTIC move
ment, '.just come here and see Professor
Rensel go by"
His sister dropped her work and came to
the window. On the other side of the street
stood tall, ungainly man, with scholarly
stoop in his shoulders, q head of bushy hair
much threaded with gray, a pair of mild,
wise spectacles and general air OF pei
picked acquiescence in all mundane affairs
whatever. In his hands he held very tiny
sled, looking at it at arms length, as if it
was something of an explosive nature. One
six-year-old little fellow was surveying his
broken plaything with despairing eyes,
while two other excited urchins danced up
and down in front of the professor, endeav
oring duly to set forth the nature of the
accident that had happened to the runner
Two dogs wagged their tails hopefully IN the
background, and to complete the procession,
a disabled crow, the pet Of one of the vii
layers, brought up the rear. 1t hoped
gravely along, now on one foot, now on the
other, setting its head on one side in oracu
lar fashion, and looking 10 times blacker
and wickeder than ever against the white
ness of the snow.
After considering the situation few
minutes the professor started off again,
dragging the sled by the rope, and his pro-
cesslon, crow and all, trotted along behind
him.
Now" said Tom, the will go straight to
the carpenters shop to get that thing
mended and the carpenter, after impress
ing upon him the arduous nature of the job,
will charge just 10 times what it is worth,
and he will pay it without word"
No doubt he will"
"And those little beggars Will run off
without even thanking him."
but they are fond of him, Tom"
Il don't care. May, you can make that
man believe anything"
ST know it,
'sJust fancy his going out with a telescope
and watching the moon all night because
we boys told him there were changes on its
surface indicating some great interior con-
WILSON'S. And when he couldn' find them,
and came to us to point them out we pre-
tended to see them plainly enough, told him
his eyes were getting weak, and he believed
every word of it, and has taken to wearing
spectacles from that day." ka ~
"Well, they are becoming at any rate,
and he. short sighted" said his sister,
but, May. the best joke of all you never
heard of. Promise me you won't tell any
body about it"
"Of course not, except Jem."
'Oh, Jem knows all about it already; he was
though, all at once. Getting engaged has
improved you"
''we'n pray that it may last" said his
sister. demursly."
"Which?-the improvement or the engage
ment? How many people have you been
engaged to before this, May?"
about half dozen, think"
~ think so, too. Don't treat Jem in thai
way. He's a friend of mine; and, after all
it's rather Notifying, you know, to .
fellow" z-.se-s --f--se.,--
1T can't very well be notifying in TIL.
case, because nobody is to know of the en-
gagement"
Il should like to know if they don't
Why, May, it is known all over town. Jen
told of it himself. You see, you are rather
pretty for girl; and then there's that bl
of money grandmother left you. On tn,
whole. Jem's rather proud of 1t. and M
wonder" eane "a He Is
Let's have the joke now, Tom; neve
mind the compliments" W.
~I~ Al -Io1x~ n.
life. What are you talking about? Blu
about that little affair: you rem ember wher
we were experimenting with that nitrogen
iodide in the laboratory, May?'
You remember how explosive it wss-
safe as long as you kept it wet; but goin
off like nitro glycerine and dynamite pu
together when it got dry?"
ut don't go off unless some one touches
it, Tom"
breathed yard away from it, off it went
But that's of no consequence, for in thi
case somebody was expected to touch it.
"And the somebody was the professor, o
course
"Of course. We made lot of it, and pu
some on the handle of his door, some in hi
slippers. and some among his books; tn
rest we scattered round promiscuously
And as good luck would have it there cam
up heavy thundershower that very attel
noon. The professor came hurrylng in
accidentally Jem and met him on th
stairs. We asked him to explain Difficult
Latin passage oh, come right in-com
right in, boys be says, in that benevolen
way of his; : and laid his hand on the dool
knob. Bang! He jumped back as If he ha
been shot. BLESS me, what's the matter
he exclaimed, rubbing his nose. We didn
say anything, but acted as if twas the mos
everyday occurrence. Well, we went IL
and he pulled off his boots and started
get his slippers on. Bangl bang. Oh, Ma,
You never saw the like of that jump.
believe he actually struck the ceiling. Whe
ne went to draw down the window.curtaiI
bang. again. When he took down th
Latin book-it was big and heavy one
bang. bangi bangl And 30 on with ever
thing he touched in the room, till bega
to think the poor man would lose his wit
Bus the best OF it was he never even suspe'
Van rxac,r il