Maryland independent. [volume] (Port Tobacco, Md.) 1874-current, 1881-04-01
CUPID AND SCHOOL TEACHING.
Annie Nelson, what are you doing p

Annie Nelson, what are you doing .
Nothing"
Frank Summerton had looked up snd.
aeniy nom copy he was setting IN
little Mary Browns slate, his. bright Ilna
| 80 hssden secrets. rvei 10 that Of tbe
] nalf eaten apple under Annie Nelson's
| rufiled white apron Nelson. with
her saucy black eyes, that sh6ne like
| two beads from under the white lids and
dropping leshos Annie Nelson. the tor
ment of young Mr.. Summerton, who was
teaching the village school for the mag
nanlmous consideration of twenty dol
lars month and board. He was hand
some blonde fellow, with lanauid wny
about him that deceived people much
who had never seen his blue ewes flash
or heard the authority of his quiet de-
llborRte tones and evidently Miss Annie
Nelson, only ten years his junior was
still IN delightful ignorance of his deter
mlnatlon when he chose to assert his
power. As yet, since he had taken charge
OF the school, there had been no special
cases for discipline nothing bevond
disgraceful marks, or half-hotlrs of be-
ing kept in, for various comparatively
insignificant offenses. But, neverthe-
less, Mr.. Summerton had discovered
that the very spirit of disobedience and
mischief was incarnate in pretty little
Annie Nelson, the one child of the mil
lers widow who sent her little girl to
school, looking like some dainty little
lady, in her white, ruffied apron and
bright dress, her buttoned boots and
gay, striped stockings. And she was GER
tainly remarkably pretty, and bright, and
interesting, and Frank Summerton had /
more than once admired the combina-
ton of black eyes and pallid golden hair
that gave such q lsewitching charm to her
straight Greek face. The very fact of /
her superior appearance, her pretty face, /
made her lord it over the other pupils,
and whatever Annie Nelson said or did
was law and gospel among the school
children. And she was the torment of
Mr.. Summertons life. Time and again
he had passed over her delinquincies,
apparently not seeing them; but it seemed
to him, this morning, that the hour and
the day had come when Miss Nelson
should be given to understand her duty
to her teacher. For half hour or more,
he had noticed outbreaks of surreptitious
fun very near Annie Nelson's vicinity,
and then, with blue eyes looking very
determined, he marched on the enemy.
'Annie Nelson, what are you doing?'
And although the question was sudden,
the answer came with equal prompt
ness
Nothing /"
i = 1oiT1
erately telling me what is untrue. You
have an apply hidden under your desk,
and have been eating 1t, which you know
is against the rules"
The bright black eyes stared unwink-
ingly in his:
/ II have not"
Then the blue sparkle in Mr.. Sum
merton's eyes began to darken. Bring
me the apple, Annie" His voice had a
quiet, suppressed power in it that every
pupil feIt--every one but Annie
II won't"
A sudden pallor came over the young
fellows handsome face, and any one who
| had been there, to have observed him
| closely, would have seen the compress
sion of his lips under his tawny golden
moustache, and the determination that
was in the glance of his eyes.
"Annie | want You to bring me YOU
apple, and whatever other eatable yor
have in your desk"
He had arisen and Annie, with sui
len fire in her eyes, and stubborn obsti
macy in her fresh, musical voice, looked
defiance at him.
81 havn't got any apple, and | wouldn'
anyhow. There I"
Young Summerton took down rule
from the shelf back of his desk, anC
walked quietly down the centre aisle t,
Annies seat, hush holding the schoo
as if by magic; and on his face and il
her eyes was the look that said the test
time had come-that Annie was eithe
to be conquered, or hereafter rule hin
and the school only by that same loo
you knew that latter alternative was nc
possible when Frank Summerton wa
concerned.
Annie, you have not only broken tn
rules and told me falsehood, but hav
been guilty of insolence in the presenc
of the school Unless you obey me, an
retract what You have said, | shall b
obliged to do what have never done i
my life, punish girl"
She tossed back her long curls, sauci
ly. "Punish me if you dare 7 am foul
teen years old, and would like 70 Sc
you whip me-"
The paleness of his face deepened, q
she flung back her impudent defiance
'If you are fourteen, Miss Nelson, 20
have all the more cause for shame 9
your conduct. But whether you al
four, fourteen, or forty-four, if you al
my pupil you shall obey, or be punished
deeply as | regret to be forced to do i
Hold out your hand !"
The pretty little hand somewhat I
his astonishment, was thrust promptl
out, and the red lip curled with snee
"You think Tn afraid to be hur
maybe, but I'll show you | amt. Bes
me, if you want to-"
Annie, despite her bold defiance, ha
been impressed with the look of dete
mination on the teachers handsome fac
and she instantly concluded that, sinC
she was morally sure he would keep h
word, she might as well take anoth,
stand. And so, out went her little whit
hand, and her bright eyes looked int
|, his as he took tha fingers in his an