Smyrna times., 1883-10-03
The Pretty Schoolmistress,

widow mother and brother and sisters
to assist in supporting.
For the sake of economy, Miss Eva
boarded around among the scholars
ana was considered a paragon among
the teachers. Her father had been a
respectable mechanic, but died after
about two years of illness. which bitter
~ impoverished his family. Eva, how
ever, (she being the eldest, received a
good, plain education before the great
calamity came upon them, and unset
tlshly began the work of assisting in
the support.
The last week previous to the holi-
day vacation she had been boarding
with Mrs. Carpenter, who was MAX
ing gigantic preparations for guests she
was expecting from New York.
You never met my brothers, Eva. :"
she said and then began to give the
young teacher a description of them.
There's Sam, George and John the
youngest, and such times as they have
when they get here and rusticate. as
they say. But, dear me, don't get
much rest or peace, for they are like n
pack of boys let loose from school.
Such tricks and pranks no one ever
saw. The last time they visited me
altogether, John and Sam actually cut
pane of glass from the window and
pelted George with snow out of nv
best room. You see there is ALWAYS a
regular strife for that particular room.
for the bed is a spring one and they
don't sleep on any other in the CITY.
But they don't get it this time, that's
certain, for | intend to keep you in that
room, and 80 end the controversy. I
am so afraid they will break or ruin
something that ] am glad you are here.
1t may keep them in check a little.n
II had just as soon occupy some
other room Mrs. Carpenter, and | do
not wish to incOmmode YOUR brothers
have no right to do SO"
" No you shan't, Eva" preemptorilv
exclaimed her hostess. "And what IS
the use of your going home vacation
week? You can stay here Just as well
as not, and do your sewing by machine.
Your mother has got enough mouths to
iced, guess, and she won't miss YOURS y
The subject was dropped and the en-
tire household retired early, for on the
morrow the brothers, young, ardent
and full of life were to be there. But
without sending any word of their in
tentlon, they had concluded to take the
evening train, which would land them
III HOllythorne about bed time. John
ana George did so, and when safely
seated IN the cars, began to speculate
about the absence of Sam.
No reason on earth why he should
not be along" said George.
No; for he told me this MORNING
that he certainly would be on hand 5
said John.
can't make it out, unless he has
taken the five o'clock train by mistake. y
Not bit of it," laughed John, who
iahcled he understood the entire pro-
gramme. 1t is more than likely that
he took the train on purpose to get
Hannah's spare bed room, and make
us take up with the straw tick and
feathers"
don't think that, but / reckon Won
are right. We must contrive to get
him out somehow"
Bet your life on that"
The brothers put their heads togeth-
er, and laughed msrrily over some
scheme for outwitting Sam, and ac-
cordinSly, when they reached Holly
thOrne about eleven o'clock, thew an
preached the house in very stealtbv
manner.
Climbing the fence in the rear. thew
softly opened window and gained ac-
cess to the paRGFy, where they demol-
lshed nice pie and couple of dough-
nuts. Then with appetite appeased.
they removed their boots and prepared
TO examine the hest room. They stole
along the hall, which was dimly lighted
by the moon, assembled the stairs and
reached the door. The faint rays of
the moon disclosed a chair filled with
clothing, and they could distinctly
trace the outlines of a form beneath
the bed clothes, and had not the re-
hottest idea but that Sam was ENJOYING
sweet repose upon Hannah's bed.
a few whispered words were ex-
changed, and then, as softly and lightly
as II shod with down they drew near.
All ready" whispered John.
quick as thought they seized upon
the form of the sleeper, bed clothes
and all bore it swiftly down stairs ont
INTO the snow, and were Just about to
deposit it in huge drift, when a shrill
shrek broke the stiffness of the night.
and, oh, hOrror!-it was that of n
woman! And in their CONSERVATION
they dropped their burden in the mid
die of a huge drift.
food HeavensW exclaimed George.
" 1T isa't Sam, but some woman. sure as
I'm a sinner, and she has tainted. Run
and call Hannahm
"GeOrgei John! for goodness sake
what does this mean, and who have
you there?" asked Mrs. Carpenter in a
breath.
Blessed if l know" said George !:
thought it was Sam; SO we thought
wed give him a dose of snow for get
ting into the best bed and irving To
euchre us. Quick, believe she has
tainted"
Just like you," scolded Hannah. as
she assisted in depositing Eva upon
the bed from which she had been 90
uncermoniously taken; "you begin
your tricks on each other before YOU
get fairly in the house. Clear outI;'
Long before she was done with her
tlrade, her discOmfitted brothers had
Detaken themselves down stairs, whore
they almost went into Mysteries over
the joke.
A pretty kettle of fish," said
George, rolling over the floor, and let
ting off peal after peal of laughter.
| should think it was" said John,
holding his sides. ooh mvI Rnt
what the dickens is to be done about il,
ana who do you suppose it is, George?''
Some guest of Hannah's, of course,
and young and pretty at that. 1 don't
know how it is with you but l feel par
ticularly small and extremely cheap
would sell myself at a very low price. y
"Cheap" roared John; "cheapl I
would actually give myself away this
very moment and throw in something
to boot. What we are to do / can't
say, but believe / shall dig out of this
place and get back to the city before
morning. l haven't got the courage to
face the music, so I'll get up and 90 %
He began hastily putting on his
boots, and would have put his threat
into execution but for the appearance
of Hannah, who at once asserted her
authority.
"You are not going single step:
but ] don't wonder that you feel asham-
ed of yourselves. What on earth
possessed you is more than can tell y
"That's right, Han, pitch in, scold