Orleans County monitor. [volume] (Barton, Vt.) 1872-1953, 1881-08-15

stairs.
81 don't know" said Sallie, "but I'd
rather know the worst than live on the
rack as I've lived for the past four
days"
"But, Sallie, it wasn't on account of
the examination, all of 1t"
"No, but the most. the rest is only
fun"
Peculiar fun, must say. and now,
Sallie. while we have chance to breathe
let me say that, although I'd do almost
anything for you. I'd almost die for you
I'll never see you through another in
stltute, never"
"Oh, you needn't croak. Jane. I've
had the worst of it, and if we don't get
certificates I'll marry Phil and get out
of It,"
ga very fair prospect for you, but
I've no man. nor any visible means of
getting one"
Don't worry. Jane, I'll give you old
Curly, or, perhaps. Tom!'
Upon the ringing of the bell. hush
fell on the throng, for this meeting, un-
like the others, meant business.
"Teachers be kind enough to take the
desks and visitors the settees in the
back part of the room" was followed by
the distribution of papers, and with
rising spirits the girls fell to work, when
suddenly Jane saw Sallie's chin fall and
her lips quiver. and following the direc-
tion of her glance to the back seat saw
what? "Hush, Jane, its Phil, and
I'm undone." Sure enough there he sat
craning his long neck in kindly awk-
wardness to get sight of them, and bow
ing without regard to lockers on. 1t
would not seem that such a series of
disasters could be crowded into four
short days, but it is all true, every
word, and ten times more that Sallie
did not think worth telling.
A previous engagement" saved Sallle
the pleasure of his company to the en-
tertainment which followed, and with
we'll assumed innocence she assured him
that she must rest after the weeks ex-
citement. not deeming it strictly neces-
sary to tell him when or where.
Ill risk the assertion that one of
those girls at least passed sleepless
night; at any rate, Jane walked from
troubled dream at FIVE to see Sallie sit
ting placidly at the window, a watch in
one hand, Instantaneous Educator in the
other, bonnet strings tied jauntily under
her chin and q black net veil tied over
her struggling frizzes. go to sleep,
dear, there is time for another nap. I'll
wake you to say good bye. you're dar-
ling to be so good through it all" And
Jane, conscious of merit, rolled herself
into ball, once more only to be startled
at six by vision of dark figure bounc-
ing against the window like an impris-
oned humble bee. 81 hear it steaming
up and there it goes-he's left me !"
But it came after Jane had frisked into
her clothes and prospected at the front
gate, and Sallie was off, Jane once
more resuming her dreams where she
had dropped the thread, but, alas she
heard rattling and bang. and Sallie
stood beside her picture of settled woe.
ave got there Jane in time to see it go
and Tom waved his handkerchief from
the rear platform it's too bad. but |
give it up now" They passed the day
i'll bed, fused over to their hearts con-
tent by the much amused landlady who
declared them the loneliest critters she
ever knew.
Jane was going to stay over till Mon
day anyway, to recruit after their mad
campaign and to purchase her summer
outfit. By night Sallie was herself
again and they started cheerfully for
the depot.
The New York train wheezed in with
clank and clang. call aboard, !"
rang out on the frosty air. Sallie had
just given Jane an affectionate kiss with
an extra charge not to forget the null
ruffs and the board bill, when with
"better late than never" onto the plat
form rushed Phil, into the car and
throwing up the window, settled himself
in the vacant seat beside Sallie. But
he just "rats" thought Jane, as he
skipped by in an ulster the color of his
hair and derby that seemed made for
him, and she looked it to Sallle, but
despite the calm, she saw the rising
mist in that young lady's eyes and re-
Trained from comment. The vision of
solemn little face with veil across the
chin and bonnet on the crown, blue nit
tens brandishing an Instantaneous
Educator" haunts her to this day, as
with clatter and clamor and clank
and clang, the New York train wheez-
ed out of the depot.
I do not know what Tom may since
have heard that caused him to change
his opinion but | do know that he car
ried no special news back to college.