Watertown republican. [volume] (Watertown, Wis.) 1860-1906, 1883-08-08
THE LITTLE COWARD.
BY JULIA ALVORD.

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it's ali right" said Mr.. Parrish, kindly.
And the treasurer of School District
No. l glanced over the top of his glasses
aud smiled, as he watched the dainty
fingers of the little teacher as they closed
over the treasure so eagerly.
1.-TWO twenties and two tens. Yes,
sir, it is right, responded the girl, smil-
ing IN turn.
now" she thought, as, tying the bills
securely in her handkerchief, she started
for home, refusing all invitations to stay
Cor tea.
''No, thanks! 1 must walk home to-
night, she said. ''The boys are so busy
with their hay; and I must hurry, for
it's five miles, you know"
No one had noticed pair of evil eyes
which peered through the crack of the
open door, watching every movement of
the weak little hands as they folded the
money away, nor had they seen form
stealing away on tiptoe as the girl said:
81 must walk home tonight"
Levy and good for nothing, Al Par
rish had ever been called at home and
abroad, but no one, not even little Ma
tie Noble, the teacher who feared him
50. would have believed him capable of
the dastardly deed he meditated.
81 kin skeer her plum to DEATH" he
muttered, for he knewhow cowardly she
was. San kin jest as well have that
$50 as not. :"
And he crept stealthily out through
the orchard and across the cornfeld, and
was well upon the way toward the woods
before Matte GOT started
eff it wasn't for passing that Indian
bUrying ground" she said to herself, as
she hurried along, 81 shouldn't mind
If il was dusk before I reach the
woods"
Matte Noble was the only girl in a
family of boys, and though they loved
their little sister, they felt all of boys
contempt for girls; and when it was an
noUnced to them that Matte was going
TO keep school" In the parish district,
there was no end to their good-natured
leers and taunts.
"a brave teacher" said Charlie, one
year her senior. ''She's afraid of her
own shadow"
Matte returned smiling rejoinders to
all their SCOTS, and only one thing re-
manned III her memory, to rankle and
make her afraid.
''They bury Iniuns a-sett1n' straight
up, with their faces TO the west" said
Gus.
And whenever she passed the burying-
ground, Friday nights and Monday
mornings, his words we're before her.
She thought of them tonight, and as
she neared the strip Of heavy timber in
which The dreaded spot lay, her eyes
grew dark, and her heart throbbed with
terror.
''To think Of every one Of those dead
and buried Indians sitting bold upright
IN their graves, with their dead faces
staring at me" she thought, and in
stlnctively she picked up a stout stick
which lay IN her path, though she
smiled a little as she imagined what the
boys would say if they should see her.
Sometimes they did come to meet her,
and would hide in the trunk Of an old
hollow tree that stood by the side of the
road, and which marked the beginning
Of the graves.
ooh, if only some one would meet me
to-nightp' she whispered, for it being
the last Gay school closed late, and it
was nearly dark.
the shadow of a mans head for an in
slant prOtruded from behind the very
tree, and was as quickly withdrawn.
'Charlie thinks he's going to brighten
me-" she thought, smilingly, while a
glad light shone IN the eyes solately full
of terror. "I'll throw away nv stick, -
she murmured, "before ne sees it.
And, coming even with the tree, she
peered around it to see which one Of the
boys had come to meet her.
sFThere's some one there, sure" she
said, "but-''
Her sentence was never finished, for
instead Of the laughing face Of Gus or
Charley, the villainous one OF Al Par
risb was turned toward her, and before
she had time to stir he clutched her by
the arm. ..o .. .-
"Just hand over that little $780, he
said, while her grasp upon her arm Yves
like that If wise.
Frightened for the moment and
speeches., yet Matte did some rapid
thinking, and the very farthest from
her thoughts was the idea of giving up
her hard earned money.
"Conae, now, no foolishness, he said
while he glared at her fiercely.
ooh, if I had only kept my stick, she
murmured, then aloud she said:
cal. Parish, would you rob me be
3. cause you are stronger than 1 2"
She felt sure that the boys were some
where upon the road to meet her ever
then. Once she thought she would
scream, but that would only hasten mat
.ers and now to just prolong the inter