Watertown republican. [volume] (Watertown, Wis.) 1860-1906, 1880-06-02
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we were all assembled In the little
school-room-girls ON one side, boys on
the other; and Miss Linda in the middle,
beside mahogany desk, piled UP with
spelling-books, and graced by polished
ruler, which never, within the memory
of the oldest scholar, had been used for
any more unpleasant purpose than to
rule copies with, for Miss Linda's sway
was gentle one, as any one who looked
at her fair face might well have imagined.
Even our habit of calling her Miss Linda
was proof of this Any other teacher
would have been addressed by her sur
name, but we never even thought of ours
as Miss Harrington. To this day can
not guess her age. She was certainly
young, but her features had a lovely
popularity of their own, which made it
impossible to tell how young she was
In her InIFthful moments she looked like
merry child; In her sadder ones she was
quite woman, but, in any mood, she
was as beautiful as perfect features,
ivory skin, wealth of golden
hair, and great, -fringed black
eyes could make her. She was
in her merry mood this morning,
and there were dimples in her rosy
cheeks, and those black eyes out-rivaled
the brightest diamonds that ever glis-
tened amid the tresses of princess. The
stupid scholar of the school (there Is al
ways stupid scholar In the school, and
he is inevitably a boy was stumbling
through his spelling lesson, and falling
fiat over the msurmountable word *fphy
sician." He had spelt it fizzishion,"
"futsition," and was at present mute
with despair, and oblivious to the
promptings of sympathizing little girl
behind the teachers chair, was preparing
to cover his eyes with his coatsleeve and
bemoan himself, when the whole school
was startled by the sudden finging open
of the door, and the entrance of little
Lilly Darwin, the smallest of the small
children under Miss Linda's care, in
state of violent agitation.
ooh, the man, the man. sobbed
Lilly. tThe great tall man with the
black beard! He's frightened me out of
my senses
"What man Lilly" asked NissLinda
compassionately. Chow did he fright
en- you, my dear ?"
"He came close behind me, and said,
Never. neverp" answered the child:
and then went away out of sight down
by the river. Oh! I'm 50 frightened, so
frightened, Miss Linda, you can't
think.
sit was some poor crazy man, my
dear, said Linda. "You are safe now,
at all events; wipe away your tears, and
tell meaal about it..
Ct was coming along the green lane
towards school, Miss Linda, hurrying
very fast for fear [ would be late, when
/ met our new minister, who stopped and
shook hands with me, and asked how you
were; and said he would look in at the
school and hear us sing this afternoon;
and while was answering him this tall
man with the black beard passed us
twice, and then stopped beside the
water. And when the minister turned
away me looked after him, and then
walked very quickly towards school, and
then back again, and then clasped his
hands and said, Never, never, never!
out loud, and frightened me so that [
cried, and ran here as fast as L could. !"
This horrible narration affected all the
smaller children as a ghost story would
have done; and Miss Linda, looking
around at these frightened faces. laughed
merrily, and, expressing her decided
conviction that the gentleman with the
black beard had escaped from the luna
tic asylum, called the school to order and
proceeded with the usual routine of
duties as though nothing particular had
occurred.
Early In the afternoon "our minister"
did call. HE had habit Of visiting the
school, and 1T appeared to me that the
teacher was much more interesting than
her scholars. At all events, it was Ger
tain that he looked at her much offener
than he did at us, and was very particu-
lar about shaking hands when he took
his leave. He was young, and a very
handsome man. and rumor said that he
was desperately in love with Miss Linda.
He fingered In the little school-house "a
long while on that bright summer after
moon; but he went at last, and then the
children were dismissed and the little
building closed for the night. Ny way
was the same as Miss Linda's. and 4
-trotted along beside her, holding tightly
to her simple muslin dress, and chatting
all4the way. We came before long to the
pretty cottage where our school-mis-.
tress boarded The woman Of the house
"a 'talkative New Englander-sat with
her knitting upon the porch. She greet
ed Miss Linda with q smile, and began
TO empty her budget of small talk and
news forthwith.
-s'Dia your ears burn to-day?" she
said. q They ought to, for you're been
talked about enough. There was
stranger here-a foreign looking man
with a long black beard, and he asked me
about the place and the people inh, and
appeared SO be much interested about
the school, and asked the name Of the
teacher and what kind of person she
was. | told him as near as [ could; and
says [, ! shouldn't wonder If she left off
being sehool4nistress and went to live
at the parsonage before long, for our
minister is paying very particular atten-
ton to her, says /, and shouldn't won
der if she likes him, too. She is good
enough for a minister's lady, anyhow,
says /.
sOh, Mrs. Jones, how could you say