The Columbian. [volume] (Bloomsburg, Pa.) 1866-1910, 1883-07-06
SELECT STORY.
SPEAKING TOO SOON.

intense glow of golden light on the |
grass and dreamy languor in the air
that made Alice Hopkins sleepy in
spite of herself, as she sat with the |
little children's copy-books in a pile |
before her, inscribing the months
marks upon their covers, according to
their respective merits.
Alice was scarcely more than child
herself. Barely nineteen, with a
slight, young figure, color that came
and went at the slightest variation of
her pulse, and pleading hazel eyes it
was the hardest work in the world to
assume the dignity that was necessary
for her position as assistant teacher.
II never saw such babyishuess in
my lfel" said Mss Negley, the prn-
cipal "and | 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 position of assistant prin-
cipal to be racing around with the
children in their MONDAY games, and
dressing a corn cob doll on the sly for
little Priscilla Jones, to say nothing
about bursting out crying 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.
Miss Negly was tall and grim, with
heavy black hair, sallow complexion,
several missing front teeth, and some
| thinU worry like a mOust aphp
Alice Hopkins covered before her
severe glance
I'm very sorry faltered she. 1'll
try to be good y
"More like child than ever!" said
Miss Negly, despairingly.
"I-l mean Alice FASTENED to cor
rect herself-'1 will endeavor to set a
guard upon my rash impulses
"That sounds more like it" said
Miss Negly. ''And now, Alice, see
here | expect some of the school
trustees here tomorrow"
"Oh, dear said Alice, remembering
the signal failure of her class upon a
similar occasion, not so very long ago,
SIT isn't another examination, hope ?"
"Worse than that" said Miss Ncgley
-"far worseW
Alice lifted her hazel eyes in amaze
ment. What could possibly be worse
than Fanny Dow spelling cat with k,
and Lucy Malley asserting that Balti-
more was situated on the left bank of
the river Nile.
"There is proposition on foot to re-
duce our salaries" said Miss Negley.
"Actually, to reduce our salaries "
"Oh," said Alice. But mine is very
small already. Only one hundred dol
lars year. don't think they can re-
duce it much
"They can reduce it to fifty, can't
they?" said Miss Negley, shortly.
'In that case" ventured Alice, 81
could 60 and be shop girl in my
uncle's store in the city. One must
live!'
"You've no proper pride" said Miss
Negley. "a shop girl indeed But
don't intend that they shall carry out
their nefarious plans. If My good
gracious mel there comes Mr.. Bar
thorne now jogging along on his ole
gray horse just as composed as if he
wasn't bent on an errand of evil
They do say that old Barthorne is the
head and front of the whole business
I'll show him! A reduction of salaries
indeed | dare say he means t.
wheedle a consent out of us before
hand, so that everything shall seen
smooth to morrow when the committee
meets. But he'll find that he has mis-
taken his customer this time"
Little Alice began to tremble al
over, and grow pink and white b,
turns, after her usual fashion when sh
was disturbed
"1-I am so frightened !" hesitate'
she. "Please may | 90 home''
"Yes, you little coward" impatient
ly responded Miss Negly; "that is, i
you haven't the courage to stand u
for yourself and your rights"
'But Mr.. Barthorne has always bee
so kind to me-" faltered Alice Hop
kins, "and if he should tell me that
was best, / almost know that shoul
consent to having my salary reduced
You know, dear Miss Negley, that if
hadn't been for him, never shoul
have received the appointment at all.
81 don't WONDER" said Miss Negle
apostrophizing the ceiling, "that the
aren't willing to allow women tn
3 privilege of suffrage in this benighte
country. And you, Alice Hopkins
you may go home! You certainly wi
be of no use at all to me IN iightin
this battle"
And Alice, heartily thankful fl
4 this grudgingly accorded reprieve, pl
the copy books into the desk-drawe
piled up the dictionary and define
caught her little pink lawn sun bonn
from its nail, and vanished like fyin
shadow into the nearest patch of cedi
woods.
Miss Negley sat very upright, wit
folded arms and prominent elbow
her nose slightly tinctured with Il
rosy hue of coming battle, her lii
4 slightly compressed; while Mr., Ba
v thorne, a pleasant faced gentleman
five-and-foty or thereabouts, trottt
up to the school house door, leisure
dismounted, tied his horse to the hitc
ing post, and, totally unconscious tn
Pa he was observed, alike by Miss Negl'
=, from her post Of authority on Il
= school room dais, and little Alice llo
n kins from the spring in the WOOD
paused to dust his boots with his y,
n low silk pocket handkerchief, and
II adjust his thick, dark locks before
* raped on the door
ID sim glad I'm not there" said Ali
X Hopkins, with a long sigh of relief.
k And then, having cooled her ia
II and hands in the transparent sprin
X she sat down to think. .r.
* To her, reduction of her sean
II salary meant nothing less than starv
IL tion As things We're she could scare
= ly pay her board and other expe
s. ses. I...
= And sitting there in the shiftil
lsbadoWs of the wind blown branch,