Mower County transcript. [volume] (Lansing, Minn.) 1868-1915, 1880-01-22

At = AL very we'll to tall, 3, said
MAY but you are sure to ret Of with
the lightest penalty, and that You can
] Cheney" .... - IN
"Can II Well, then I'll shield YOU
tor your disobedience. So cheer up and
be brave. Here we are and school has
commenced" $685. %
They marched in and took their seats.
and lifted their guilty eyes TO encounter
the indignantly Rashine ones of their
much. abused teacher. Of all the schol-
ars Sue was the prettiest, most loyable
and most trying. She laughed his most
serious and just reproof to scorn, and
when she found he was really wounded.
her great black eyes would fash up to
him through tears and appeal to be for
given. And somehow his voice always
turned itself lower when he addressed
her, and in spite of himself she managed
to throw upon him the solving of all
her most difficult problems. She would
come up to him with such q pretty
pleading pout, with "My head aches
49," and protest nhe could not do her
algrebra unassisted; or "Might not be
excused from writing that dreadful
composition for just this once, pleasef''
And promised to do anything else he
wished; and she looked so Winsome.
pretty and bright when he yielded, that
she usually carried the day.
50, when the master. in q hard. cold
voice commanded the young ladies who
were late to school to leave their seats
and take places before his desk, to his
surprise Sue said something in whis.
per to her companions, and came grace
fully and quickly forward alone, and
leaning her white arms upon his desk
as for support to her trembling limbs,
said:
"Mr. Cheney, we have been to see the
gypsies, but l alone am to blame, and
am ready to take the punishment you
think the rest have merited, together
with what is my just DUE"
"Ohl you wish to make yourself
sort of scapegoat for your compartment"
he questioned, with flushed face.
Yes, sir, if you please" murmured
Sue.
"Well, if I don't please? think you
have sins enough of your own to an.
sHer for without shouldering those of
others2"
But really and truly" pleaded she,
with tears in her glorious eyes, II am
alone to blame. They would not have
gone but for me, and you will make me
perfectly wretched if you punish them,
when the fault was all mine" and she
sobbed audibly.
should be sorry to do that" he
answered. cit is enough that you
make every day of my life wretched
without my retaliating, and if you will
answer for the good behavior of your
companions in future it shall be as you
DESIRE"
II WILL" promised Sue, but she grew
deadly pale to the lips as he extended
his hand to receive hers.
The next moment her little rosy palm
lay in his great broad one, above which |
the ruler was poised for the blow; and
though their hands were hidden behind
the desk, the blows could be distinctly
heard.
"One, two, three, four-one for each
truant," said the teacher, looking down
into the eyes of Sue with an expression
none but she could interpret.
The next instant the face of Sue was
buried in her handkerchief, and her
cheeks crimsoned as with shame. Then
she spoke in suppressed voice to the
teacher, and he had to bend low to hear
her.
"Who is the scrapegoxt now7" abe
questioned, and the dimples BETRAYED
that her emotion was laughter, and if
her eyes were filed with tears they were
not sorrowful ones.
"Never mind" was answered by the
teacher, as he bit his moustache to hide
smile, "you may take your seat now"
Sue, as she laid her head upon the desk. |
" l knew he wouldn't strike me. His
broad hand entirely covered mine and |
received every blow. How the girls
would laugh if they knew it. But l i
won't tell. That shall be our little
secret"
The remainder of the afternoon she
studied very diligently and recited clev.
erly, though there was a very saucv
light burning in her brown eyes that
argued ill for some one.
When school closed for the day, the |
girls Aocked around her with many e.
pressions of sympathy.
1t was 50 good and noble in you,
Sue, to take all the blame and the pun.
ishment," exclaimed May.
"And how ridiculous he looked in
pounding the little hand of lady,"
added Kitty. clam sure he must think
very little Of himself, and, as for me, | |
hate him.
So do l." said Annie Miller, e" and
G %ouid sit it, up all night to find time to
"Don't be foolsl" interrupted Sue,
with flash of anger. II think he was
very kind and generous to let US off as
easy as he did, for we were wrong and
he right"
Il thought it belonged to a gentle.
mans code Of honor never to strike q
woman" answered May, with a sheer
The truth u.s." replied Sue, che
fixed the penalty 80 severe and unre-
!entlng that he supposed no one would
disobey, and when he was forced to full.
i'll the law he punished one girl in place
of four, and as it was neither of you, l
think you ought to be satisfied. Suppose
we let the subject DROP"
$50 be it. But if he remains at the
sch0olhouse late again tonight, shan't
We haunt him?''
Yes" said Sue, "and it is my turn
to be the ghost. There is jolly fun in
Meanwhile Paul Cheney was again
writing to his city chum, and in conclu.
sion he said:
II have had a hard day. The girls
were unusually provoking, and the
of my left hand are very much
swollen, from an injury received while
Furnishing one of them. You need not
be surprised to hear that have given up
teaching. The Plainville academy is
proving too much for me, and any day I
may drop in upon YOU"
The letter finished, he started for his
boarding place, but as he approached
the graveyard there futtered before him
white.robed ghost, which disappeared
as he neared it, with nvstArious fac;l.