The river press. [volume] (Fort Benton, Mont.) 1880-current, 1881-12-21
DORA'S ~IGNORAMUs.

DORAS IGNORAMUs.
1t was a lovely June morning IN the cOun-
try; the air redolent with the scent of myriad
blossoms and musical with the songs of as
many wild birds, when Dora Glade stepped
over the threshold Of her rustic school house
to encounter q surprise not altogether pleas
ant.
Since the first of May Miss Glade had been
teaching this school of, perhaps, two dozen
urchins, whose ages ranged all the Way from
five to fourteen years.
On this particular morning, however, there
sat within the school room, patiently waiting
for the arrival Of the teacher, a tall, we'll
built young man who was certainly several
years her senior, and whose appearance in
dictated that he had come to stay.
The teacher herself was just nineteen,
slender and graceful as a willow, with 9
charming admixture of womanly dignity and
girlish shyness in her manner. She did not
always know what to do even with some of
the rough youngsters already in her charge,
and now her fair face darkened with a look
Of u%ndisguised dismay as she stopped short
II the doorway, regarding this new speci-
men with q private conviction in her soul
that she should never prove equal 70 the task
of managing him.
She looked upon his intrusion into her little
fold much as some peaceful shepherd might
at the sudden appearance of q mountain lion
among his innocent flock. Mastering her
chagrin as best she could, Dora called her
school together, and soon after approached
her unwelcome visitor with a very evident
air of embarrassment.
.sDo-do you intend to remain in the school,
sir e.
For the life of her she didn't know how
che ought 10 address him.
'sYes'm," answered the newcomer, with q
meekness which, contrasted with his fine,
powerful physique, made her feel strongly
inclined to laugh in bis face. II calklate to
come afternoons. Can't come much morn
ms, bein' as | hev to help Uncle Jake with
the crops"
'sOh," said Dora, gently, suppressing 9
smile, s'your name, please
''Larry F~arnsworth. Squire Jake Farms
worth, over yonder," with an awkward nod
Of his handsome head i" the direction of the
squire's mansion, ssWhere I'm 8 stayin', is my
uncle"
YES said Miss Glade, with polite inter
est. "And now please tell me what you wish
to study, Mr.. FarnsWorth."
q ,G,ooo ~, aa11 40 Torar zE;ro ~ ,,:5
this great, fne-looklng fellow; with the bash
fulness of o child Il amt much used to be-
ing Mustered, an anyhow l reckon I'm one
Of yer scholars, jest like the rest"
Certainly" said Dora, somewhat relieved
and determining to put a bold face upon the
matter at once. And now, Larry" with a
rosy blush, in spite Of herself, Set US pro-
coed to select your studies"
But the verdant young gentleman soon dis
closed the fact that what he did know Of
books might be comprised in a very small
space, indeed, while a modest list Of what he
didn't know would form a record as yolum-
inous as thai Of the Whitaker testimony.
Days passed on, and Miss Glade found
them passing very pleasantly. Her new pu-
pil, though extremely ignorant, evidently did
his best to improve, and was otherwise q per
feet model of good behavior. The younger
boys, also, gave far less trouble than at first.
Whether he issued private orders to them
outside, or whether it wa q threatening
glance from those commanding bright-gray
eyes whenever any inclpient rebellion arose
against the teacher, certain it was that the
troublesome urchins behaved much better
than before the advent Of the big scholar
AS for Miss Glade's opinion Of our hero a
the end of 9 month, perhaps we could moi
ascertain it more easily than by glancing 81
this portion of a letter written by her to hel
bosom-friend ID the city:
You have not forgotten my Ignoramus, OF
whom | wrote you, Kittie? Well, we still
have the honor Of his attendance at The
school, and / will frankly admitthat / shoule
hardly know, now, how to keep that same
school without him. How or why he does i
4 do not pretend to know, but be seems IS
have those old-time s'intractables' under sucI
d spell that I do not believe one OF then
would dare to disobey me, Il he felt 50 IN
clined.
One other fact is unauestionable to N.
~..a !. yH.~n ~ @ar,lw# bIacund with the emit