The Rock Island Argus., 1881-12-08
A HAPPY OMEN.

Noise. babble, little learning and
learning little, great display affection
and little affection to display-such
/ are the evident features Of o ladies'
} school. d9gJ II 5 1a asi.s s97Gi 80 IT
s'Boa ciel! Goodness gracious! Mon,
aseuI Oh. Mamie Barker, what have
you donep Oh, dear, deari what will
the professor sayP Was there ever such
a mess? Bon ciel!' and with slight
variations the babel of tongues went
on, as score of the. larger girls at
Madame D'Orsay's institution, gathered
around box of shivered glass, and sur
D xeyed the crystal atoms. y1aFs94
4. There was "a momentary pause as
Nell Hunter stopped down and gath
cred the broken fragments; but the
solemnity with which she shook her
head and the unusual depth of her
voice as she exclaifned. "All shattered
and shivered and gone to smash, - quite
awed the party, and again they resort
ed to the explanatory relief.
"Oh, Mamie Barker! i wouldn't
stand in your shoes! The Professor will
annihilate you for the destruction of
his pet instrumentS!'
..It is unlucky to break glassi I
G should expect to hear of the death of
all my friends whlned Jane Morton
in tone decidedly ,doloroso. .s....,~..s.
y s.Fiddle-faddler' sneered Hattie
Clark '.Jane Morton, you had better
hang horseshoe over your door to
keep the witches away. OF course. it
is unlucky to break a surveyors tran
sit, compass, and al those delicate
instruments, but don't be such fool as
to suppose this accident will influence
Nannie's fate otherwise" eaft
Not word said Mamie Barker all
this time.
ITO think that should do that! If it
were any one else, the professor would
be less severe, for have always been
d. the most aggrayating pupil in his class.
and he likes me least. Only think how
sauey and provoking 1 was yesterday;
and he worships these instruments as
much as he despises me. Oh, dear.
feel like one of the little creatures we
read about, who was going to be eaten
M by dragons. / wish I had been
heathen and my mother had thrown me
in the Ganges to a crocodile when /
was an infant, before knew the hor-
rors of mathematics OF the terrors of
Prof. Sterling's wrath"
We could not refrain from laughing
at Nannie's characteristic language.
though her sufferings were not in the
least affected, for if Madame D'Orsay
had pupil who was Professor SterHng's
aversion, that pupil was saucy Mamie
Barker. -&
What is their valuepn asked practi-
cal Nell Hunter, toying with the bits OF
glass and metal.
i 1.-The transit alone is worth more
thau twenty pounds ~ 4 replied II
think it was the only careless thing
Star1inm nUpr did fn lpavo
that case here yesterday. He was
absent-ninded all through our rccita-
ton" tss
'tMore than twenty pounds! echoed
Mamie Barker. ..And the compass
and all! What-oh, what shall j do?"
Every girl glanced at Nannie's dress,
the plainest and cheapest in tho lnsti-
tuition; but The clear, sharp ringing of
the prayer bell arrested all further spec
ulations and comments, and the group
paired off in congenial couples, chat
ting on their wav 10 the chapel, of Nam
ME Barkers wild race through the
study-hall, and her unfortunate stumble
against the table where stood the pro-
fessor's instruments. Such remarks as
these might have been heard:
Mamie is very poor. Her uncle is
educating her for a teacher. She can
A0FGA p1ky hAC hss4uO Va iAAD OAOnSA AAA-
strnments."
In the meantime Mamie had linked
her arm in mine, and we were SLOWLY
bringing up the rear.
.'What-oh, what shall do?' she
was saying. ''In half an hour the stern
old ogre will be here. If could give
him an equivalent would be as defiant
as ever; but / have no money. | dare
not ask my uncle, and poor mamma
has none. The only article of value l
possess is this watch, mammals watch.
If Professor Sterling were a woman /
would know how to manage; but am
afraid of men-I never knew any to
speak of-but they are all SO high and
lofty, and are not tender and gentle like
women. can't understand them, and
/ fear Professor Sterling if am saucy
and contrary"
..You do the professor injustice
I began. But the chapel door was
reached. and further comment was
checked.
'sThere will be no recitation in Pro-
fessor Sterling's room to-day" said
Madame D'Orsay as we left the chapel.
The professors wife IS dangerously
ill. He has sent for case of instru-
ments he unintentionally left yesterday.
Win some of the young ladies give tlnm
to his servant?,
Now was the time for Nanniefs con-
fession, and with sobs and tears she
explained to madame the sad misfor-
tune.
.'Je ne sats qag fdsSe." began ma
dame; but seeing Nannie's pazzled
looks at her French comfort, she con-
tinued: .sThe professor loves science;
he loves his instruments. He will be
exceedingly vexed perhaps, but you
had better frankly tell him. he has o
kind heart, assure yOu. He viii ex-
pect his Instruments. and it will never
be so easy 10 tell him as now. will
excuse you and your friend from morn
ing recitations, if you choose to accom-
pany the professors
An hour later, Mamie Barker and
myself were standing in Professor
Sterling's handsome parlor awaiting
the entrance of our stern old tutor.
s.Did you bring the case?n we heard
him ask from an adjoining apartment;
and Mamie tremhled at the reply. that
some young ladies would account Tor
his failure. =
ssConduct them here,n we heard him
say; and we were ushcred into our pro-
fessor's presence.
And not the professor alone.
In the darkened light of the room
we saw our tutor sitting by o low couch,
and supporting with his strong arms a