Staunton spectator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1849-1896, 1882-02-07
The Blue.Eyed Girl.
By MARY z. MoTTAT.
WHAT ONE DAY BROUGHT.

pr1ts Seminary were taking their daily
walk for exercise. A junior teacher
was with them but as she kept at q
short distance in the rear Of the party
with one of the parlor boarders, the
restraint of her presence was not sensi-
bly, felt, to judge by the laughing faces
and rapidly moving tongues.
"Oh. Clara look at that specimen o.
the Genus Homo. Did you ever see
such hat?"
Clara looked in the direction indicat-
ed, and made grimace.
you'd better say, did you ever see
such clothes? They are q mile toe
short for him-that is, for his arms and
limbo"
The girls had spoken rather above
their usual tone. and the lad who had
attracted their attention must have
heard their fiippant criticisms, for he
turned and looked at the group hall
reproachfully, half proudly, while q
flush rose and burned in his dark
cheeks.
'For shame, girls !" said another
speaker, indignantly; "he heard you
But if were he, I wouldn't care for
what such thoughtless little thing.
either think or say. It is nothing for
farmers boys to wear such clothes
about there work. You couldn't ex.
poet them to dress in broadcloth."
"Just like you, Kitty! You always
take up on the side of the Injured
party. But I love you all the better
for IT; for everyone has q chance to be
pitied some time, and like you to cod
die and make much of me when I have
one of my headaches"
So the merry coterie went on through
the quiet country road, alternately
crlcizing each other, or outsiders whom
they CHANGED to meet, or praising their
favorite schoolmates as only schoolgirls
know how to do gracefully.
Meanwhile tho object of their re-
marks walked on until he reached the
farm house where he was employed !;
for he was q widows only son, and
worked by the day at the Hill farm.
giving his earnings to his mother, and
and spending his evenings at her little
cottage. studying by the light of one
poor tallow dip.
=. AS bis large, dark eyes glanced at
the thoughtless girls who had made
they had also caught sight of the in
dignation which had shot from the blue
orbs of the last speaker; and although
he had pass ed beyond the reach of the
sound of her reproving words, he fell,
what their tenor would be a. by flash
of intuition, and the knowledge took
the sting of the criticism away.
So all through the rest of the day q
pleasant. memory of q sparkling face
with blue eyes and pink cheeks, framed
in by rich masses of yellow hair, was
lurking in his mind instead of bitter
thoughts of his poverty and patched
garments.
The Board of Examiners had met to
pass judgment upon throng Of tremb
ling, nervous young women who wish
ed to be declared competent to take the
place of an outgoing teacher in one OF
the Grammar Schools in the city.
There were about twenty applicants
for the position, and it was well known
that the examination would be a most
thorough one.
Nearly all of the young ladies had
been graduates from good schools; but
to be questioned at the close of years of
study is very different from having to
brush up your knowledge SO as to have
it seem inexhaustible to those who are
to pass judgment upon you after even
one twelvemonth of cessation from
school pursuits; it is an ordeal which
can only be appreciated by one who has
passed drought it.
The Board was composed mostly of
gentlemen past middIe-age; but one of
the company, Mr.. Moore, was quite q
young man. He had q fine face, with
keen, dark eyes whose brightness was
tempered by eyeglasses. AS the young
ladies came In he glanced at the differ
ent faces-sOme of them fair and some
plain. but nearly all of them wearing a
nervous look of expectancy-be gave a
sudden start, and then scrutinized one
of the group with an air of interest.
She was seated near the window, and
long lines of slanting gold enveloped
her in their way from the sun to the |
pine floor. But they did not develop a !
single flaw in the graceful, girlish fig |
ure or face. The blue eyes were cast |
modestly down, and the tiny white |
hands were crossed upon the lap of her !
neat linnen dress. If Katherine Gle |
ment felt anxious and overawed at the |
position in which she was placed it did |
not prevent her red lips from wearing
their usual expression of calm sweet
ness.
And her face was true index of the
state OF her mind. She had experienced
one of those reverses of fortune which
come occasionally to the most favored
children of this changeable sphere, and
The had come to try for this position, ii
The secured it, it was well If not she
would try again; never doubling but
hat the wide world held living for her
Iomewhere.
And she was right.
Another young applicant carried off
he palm in mathematics, and thst
Iained her the day with regard to the
,osition of schoolma'sm but much to
surprise an even better of.
er awaited her.
Young az Mr.. Moore looked, he had
'een chosen by his fellow citizens to
epresent them in the councils of the
lation, and he had been wishing to find
ONE pleasant and intelligent lady Who'll
would accept q home with his aged
mother and make her happy by congo.