The daily Cairo bulletin. (Cairo, Ill.) 1878-1???, 1883-08-11
ALlOB'S SURPRISE.

lIlllutllNt utI iut lllttNs
and peonies in the school garden, ant
intense glow of golden lighton the grass
and dreamy languor in the air tina
made Alice Hopkins sleepy in spite o
herself. as she sat with the little chill
dren'S copy-bookS in a pile before her
inscrbing the month marks upon thu
covers, according TO their respective
merits.
Alice was scarcely more than a chile
herself Barely nineteen. with slight
young figure, a color that came anc
went at the slightest variation of hel
pulse, and pleading hazel eyes, it wa;
the hardest work in the world to as
sumo the dignity that was necessary for
her position rs assistant teacher.
II never saw such babyiShness in my
life,n said Miss Negley the principal;
land shall not put up with it, Miss
Hopkins don't You think it! Dignity,
in the educational line, is everything.
And do not call it fitting to the posi-
ton of assistant principal to be racing
around with the children in their noon
dav games. and dressing a corn-cob
doll on the sly for little Priscilla Jones,
to say nothing about bursting out cry
ing. like a great baby, when Billy
Smith killed the robin-redbreast with a
stone. Dignity, Miss Hopkins dignity
should ever be the watchword of our
profession. y
Miss Negley was tall and grim, with
heavy black hair, a sallow complexion,
several missing front teeth, and some-
thing very like mustache
Alice Hopkins cowed before her saw
age glance.
I'm very sorry faltered she, "Tn
try to be good!'
More like Il child than ever!" said
Miss Negley desparingly.
III mean, Alice FASTENED to correct
herself will endeavor to set guard
upon my rash impulses.
That sounds more like it, - said Miss
Neglcy. And now, Alice, see here.
expect some of my school-trustees here
tomorrow. "
"Oh, dear" said Alice, remembering
the signal failure OF her class upon 8
similar occasion not so very long ago
ut isn't another examination, | hopeP'
Worse than that, said Miss Negle,
far worse
Alice lifted her hazel eyes in amaze
meut What could possibly be wors,
than Fanny Dow spelling cat with {
"k, and LucyMalcy asserting that Bal
timore was situated on the left bank o
the river Nile
There is proposition on foot to re-
duce our salaries, said Miss Ncgley
Actually, to reduce our saarics.'
"Oh, said Alice, But mine is very
small already Only twenty pounds {
year don't think they can posSibl!
reduce it much. y
They can reduce it 20 ten, can
they?n said Miss Negley, shortly.
"In that case ventured Alice, :"
could 90 and be a shop-girl in m,
uncle's shop in thec,,s. One must live,
You've no proper pride, said Mis-
Negley "A shop-girl, indeed! Bat
don't intend that they shall carry on
their nefarious plans, If
"My good gracious me! there come
Mr.. Barthorne now, Jogging along o
his old grey horse just aS composed as
he wasn't bent on IN errand Of eyi
They do say that old Barthornc is tn
head and foot OF the whole bushes,
I'll show him A reduction of salarie.
indeed,
Il dare say he means to wheedle
consent out of us beforehand, so thI
everything shall seem smooth to-morro
when the committee meets But he
find that he has mistaken his customC
this time
Little Alice began to tremble all owe
and to grow pink and white by turns
after her usual fashion when she W;
disturbed
Ill am so frightened hesitate
she. please may 90 homeP"
yes YOU little coward, y inpatient
responded Miss Negley; that is, if 70
haven't the courage to stand up fc
yourself and your rights.
But Mr.. Barthorne has always bee
so kind to me, faltered Alice Hopkin
land if he should tell me that it W;
best, almost know that | would col
sent 10 having my salary reduced. YC
know, dear Miss Negley, that if it hs
not been for him never should ha'
received the appointment at all "
II don't wonder said Miss Nege
apostrophizing the ceiling that thu
aren't willing to allow women the pri
ilegc Of suffrage in this benight,
country, And you, Alice Hopkir
you may go home, You certanIy W
be Of no use at all to me in fighting Il
battle"
And Alice. heartily thankful for d
grudg,ngly.accorded privilege, put ,
copy-books into the dcsk-drawer, pil
up the dictionary and deiiner, eau.
her little pink lawn sun-bonnot from
nail. and vanished like flying shad
into the nearest patch of green woo
Miss Ncgley sat very upright, "
folded arms and prominent elbows,
nose slightly tincturod with the I
hue of coming battle, her lips compr
ed; while Mr. Barthornc, pleas;
faced gentleman of iiye.andiorty
thercabouts, trotted up 10 the sch
house door, loisurcly dismounlcd,
his horse 10 the hiiching.post, and,
tally unconscious that he was obser
alike by Miss Ncgley from her pos
authority on the school-room dais,
little Alice Hopkins by the spring in
woods, paused TO dust his boots with