The Republican. [volume] (Oakland, Md.) 1877-current, 1882-01-14
DORA'S IGNORAMUS.


the country; 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 a surprise
not altogether pleasant.
Since the first OF May Miss Glade
had been teaching this school of per-
haps two dozen urchins, whose ages
ranged all the way from five TO four
teen years.
On this particular morning. how-
ever, there sat within the scho0lro0m,
patiently waiting for the arrival of
the teacher, a tall, wellbuIlt young
man who was certainly several years
her senior, and whose appearance iB-
dieatesl that he had come to.stay.s
The teacher herself was just nine
teen, slenderand graceful as willow,
with a charming admixture of Wo-
manly dignity and girlish shyness in
her manner. She did not always
know exactly what to do even with
some of her rough youngsters already
in her charge, and now her fair face
darkened with look of undisguised
dismsy, as she stopped short in the
doorway, regarding this new speci-
men with Il private conviction in her
soul that she should never prove
equal to the task of managing him.
She looked Upon his intrusion into
her little fold much as some peaceful
shepherd might at the sudden APP
Deararce of a mountain lion among
his innocent flock. Mastering her
chagrin AS hest she could, Dora called
her school together, and soon after
approached her unwelcome visitor
with Il very evident air of embarrass-
ment.
"Do yon intend to remain in the
sch ol, sir?"
For the life of her she didn't know
how she ought to address him.
"Ycs'm," answered he new conner,
with meekness which, contrasteG
with his fine, powerful physique,
made her strongly inclined to laugh
in his face. II calk'late to come
afternoons. Can't come much morn
im's, bein' as / hev tn help Uncle
Jake with the crops"
"Oh !" said Dora, gently, suppress
ing smile, ''yaur name. please ?"
Larry Farnsworth. Squire Jake
Farnsworth oyer yonder," with an
awkward nod of his handsome head
in the direction of the squirrels man
sion. "where Pm stayin,' is my
uncle"
"Yes," said Miss Glade, with
polite interest. "And now please
tell me wheat you wish to study,
Mr.. Farnsw0rth."
"Spose ye call me Larry, Miss"
said this great, fine- -lonking fellow.
with the ha@hlulness of a child II
ain much used to elm mist red,
am anyhow | reckon Pm one of yer
scholars, jiSt like the rest"
"CerlainIy," said Dora, sompwha
relieved, and determining to put a
bold face upon the matter at once.
And now, Larry with a rose blush.
in spite of herself, ''let Us proceed to
select your studies"
But the yerdant young gentleman
soon disclosed the fact that what he
did know of books might he COM
prised within very small space, in
deed, while model list of what he
didn't know would form record as
voluml Gus AS that of the Whitaker
testimony
Days passed on, and Miss Glade
found them passing very pleasantly.
Her new pupil, though extremely
ignorant, evidently did his best to
improve, and was otherwise II model
of perfect good behavior. The young
err boys, also, gave far less trouble
than at first. Whether he issued
private orders to them outside, or
whether it was threatening glance
from those commanding bright gray
eyes whenever any incipient rebellion
arose against the teacher. certain 1t
was that the troublesome urchins be-
haved much better than before the
advent of the "big scholar"
AS for Miss Glade's opinion of our
hero at the end of month, perhaps
we could not as ertain it more easily
than by CHANGING at this portion of a
letter written hy her to her bosom
friend in the city:
"You have not forgotten my Jg-
noramus, of whom l wrote you
Kittie? Well, we still have the hon
or of his attendance at the school, and
l will frankly admit that I should
hardly know, now, how to keep the
same school without him. How OF
why he does it / do not pretend tC