Louisiana capitolian. (Baton Rouge, La.) 1879-1881, 1881-09-10


her lessons; she neither whispered MOI
laughed. All tho other girls were con
ttinually asking questions Of the master
They hung round him ut recess ; the,
lavished upon him oil sorts of coquet
ish attentions; but Phebe was never
| puzzled over arithmetic and never ap
preached him from one days end to an
other. So the days went on and the
term was nearly ended. He had spoken
to Phebe's mother, and she expressed
her pleasure in receiving him as q son.
in-law, but declared that she "couldn't
dew nothin' with the gal, she was head
strong as well as bashful, aud il she were
to speak to her it would only make the
unhappy matter worse"
1t was q clear, bright winter morning.
The clouds slept far aloft above the
highest boughs OF the forest through
which the schoolmaster passed on bis
way to school. An opening in the
trees revealed the covered peak
of a distant mountain which shone like
beautiful star in the fair bosom of
day. The wind waited the spicy odor
of the pines brook, singing under
its prison wall of ice, seemed like q
voice from fairy-land promising spring.
The stiffness surrounded one like u
dream. The schoolmaster hung his
head in deep thought. He must speak
to Phebe All his subtle plans to &C
complish this end had failed heretofore,
and the time when he should leave the
place was nearing. He had been trying
to find some excuse to keep her after
school for a long time, in spite of it's
being held a great disgrace by the older
girls to endure this punishment, though
the boys and the smaller girls were Of
ten kept until nearly dark in the after
noon. But when was Phebe known TO
miss a lesson or commit misdemeanor
of any sort? The only thing can re-
sort to is to keep her after school on the
pretence Of having discovered her whis-
pering or laughing, he said to himself.
1T is mean, know, ALFRED mean, but
there's no other way
Fortune turned her face toward him
that day, however. For some reason or
other Phebe WAS in an absent-minded
mood and Numbered unaccountably in
1er grammar lesson. Having once
allied she went from bad to worse, and !
got, in such maze of bewildorment
hat all the other girls laughed at her.
'fou will stay awhile after school to-
hight, Miss Phebe, and we'll see about
his lesson,' said he more sternly than
le had intended to speak, and with
ing Of triumph in his tone.
A murmur of disappointment ran
round the room, but one glance at the
face of the master was suffi-
lent to hush it. Phebe accepted the
punishment with comparative GOODNESS.
he colored deeply, of course, but she
either hid her face in her hands, nor
Vept, nor betrayed angry defiance. But
he master was in fever of uneasness
uring the remainder of the session.
lie half expected rebellion. He feared
hat she would attempt to leave the
choolroom with the others in spite of
is command, and he sternly resolved
be on his guard against such proce-
ure Oh her part.
His fears were gronndIess, however
hen the bell rang for dismissal, Phebe
quietly in her seat, her de-
lure eyes fixed upon her book. There
ad been a great deal of laughing and
a great many failures in |
ssons that day; but it was q remarka-
le fact that no one but Phebe was sub ,
cted to SO dire q punishment therefor.
enturing to look up she found herself ,
one with the master, and burst into i
BOD of terrified tears. =
Phebe,' he said, in tender tone, ap-
her desk, don't be mad with +
g forkeeping you here twasn't on &C
'unt of that miserable lesson, but be- 8
Inse you wouldn't give mo any chance j
speak to you; you wouldn't let me \
II you how much / set by you. | !,
ant you to be my wife p
Phebe's weeping progressed with re-
wed vigor. !,
Tell me, Phebe, are you so mad that 4
III will never forgive met Won't you
t your head and give me Just one o
DkH Il
There seemed to be no hope that this
quest would be granted.
Tell me Phebe, is it because I've got G
d hair that you won't have me +? | Il
low its pretty red, but then Pye seen 81