Spirit of the age. [volume] (Woodstock, Vt.) 1845-1913, 1883-06-13
IL am so frightened" hesitated

"Yes, you little coward" impatiently
responded Miss Negley; "that is, ifyou
haven't the courage to stand up for
yourself and your rights"
"But Mr.. Barthorne has always been
so kind to me-" faltered Alice Hopkins,
"and if he should tell me that it was
best, I almost know that I should con-
sent to having my salary reduced.
You know, dear Miss Negley, that if it
hadn't been for him, / never should
have received the appointment at all
81 don't wonder said Miss Neg'ey,
apostrophizing the ceiling, "that they
aren't willing to allow women the
privilege of suffrage in this benighted
country. And you, Alice Hopkins,
you may go home! You certainly will
be of no use at all to me in fighting
this battle"
And Alice, heartily thankful for
this grudgingly-accorded reprieve, put
the copy books into the desk-drawer,
piled up the dictionary and definer,
caught her little pink lawn sun-bonnet
from it's nail, and vanished like flying
shadow into the nearest patch Of cedar
woods
Miss Negley sat very upright. with
folded arms and prominent elbows,
her nose slightly tinctured with the
rosy hue Of coming battle, her lips
slightly compressco while Mr. Bar
thorne, pleasant-faced gentleman of
five-and-forty or thereabouts, trotted
up to the school house door, leisurely
diSmounted, tied his horse to the hitch
ing post, and totally unconscious that
he was observed, alike by Miss Negley
from her post of authority on the
school room dais, and little Alice Hop
kins by the spring in the woods,
paused to dust his boots with his
yellow silk pocket handkerchief, and to
adjust his thick. dark locks before he
raped on the door,
1'm glad I'm not there" said Alice
Hopkins, with long sigh of relief.
And then, having cooled her face
and hands in the transparent spring,
she sat down to think.
To her, a reduction of her scanty
salary meant nothing less than starva-
ton. AS things were she could scarce
ly pay her board and other expenses.
And sitting there in the shifting
shadows of the wind-blown branches,
she cried little, to think how solitary
and friendless she was in the world.
Miss Negley, however, was IN a very
different mood.
"Come inp she had answered,
brusquely, to the knock at the door,
without taking the trouble to move
from her seat.
And when Mr. Barthorne entered, he
espied her sitting stiff, silent, straight
Good afternoon, Miss NeSley." said
the trustee, depositing his hat on the
nearest desk and venturing on an apollo.
getic bow.
Good afternoon, Mr.. Barthorner
Miss Negley answered, with just about
as much warmth as an icicle in hel
address.
81 hope | do not intrude," said the
trustee, civilly.
"Oh, not at alln' said Miss Negley.
"A--hem,' said the trustee, evident
ly i'll at ease. at amt easy to broacl
the business I've come on, Miss Negley.'
81 should think not" said the lady.
"But | called just at this hour, wher
] expected to find you alone"
"Oh, yes, l haven't any doubt that
you did," Miss Negley interrupted him
in accents of fine sarcasm. ever
you, Squire Barthorne, would b,
ashamed to hint at such thing before
the poor, dear children
"Eh? ?" said Mr.. Barthorne, instinct
lively retreating pace or two, fol
there was something pythoness-like il
Miss Negley's attitude, as she rose ant
darted her head forward at him to EN-
phasize her words
81 know what you're going to say,
said Miss Negley; "and l won't lister
to a word Of it.-not one word! No ont
but a set Of narrow-minded miser:
could have thought of it. I'll leav,
Wyndale school first"
"Well, well, no harm DONE" said Mr.
Barthorne, clutching at his hat. "I
I'd have known that you'd taker
things as hard as this"
"How did you suppose l was goins
to take 'em?" said Miss Negley, witt
a scornful laugh. did you mistak,
me for the dust under your feet?'
"I assure you, ma'am, that nothing
of the sort was in my mind" humbl.
uttered Mr.. Barthorne. 81 wish yol
good afternoon"
He hurried out, remounted his gra,
steed, which, poor beast, was just com
posing itself for comfortable doze il
the sunshine, and rode off, making, t,
Alice Hopkins intense dismay, straigh
for the shady cedar-woods, where sh'
still sat arranging ferns around tn,
ribbon of her hat.
"Theres no use trying to ruI
away" thought she. 81 may as wei
stay where l am. And after all, VIII,
should / be afraid of Mr.. Barthorne?"
Mr.. BARITONE checked his rein as HI
saw the pretty young school teache