Stephens City star. (Stephens City, Va.) 1881-1883, 1883-06-23

wheedle consent out of us before
hand, SO that everything shall seem
smooth tomorrow when the commit
tee meets. But he'll find that he has
mistaken his customer this timer
Little Alice began to tremble all
over, and to grow pink and white by
turns, after her usual fashion when she
was disturbed.
"I-I am 80 frightened" hesitated
she. "Please may / 60 homer"
Eyes, you little coward" impatiently
responded Miss Negley; "that is, you
haven't the courage to stand up for
yourself and your rights"
"But Mr.. Barthorne has always been
80 kind to me-" faltefed Alice Hopkins,
land if he should tell me that it was
best, 1 almost know that should con-
sent to having my salary reduced.
You know, dear Miss Negley, that if it
hadn't been for him, I never should
have received the appointment at ALL
II 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 60 homel 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 defner,
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 compressed; 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 te
adjust his thick. dark locks before hi
raped on the door.
I'm glad I'm not there" said Alice
Hopkins, with long sigh of relief.
And then, having cooled her fac'
and hands in the transparent spring
she sat down to think.
To her, reduction of her scanty
salary meant nothing less than starva
tion. 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 solitar,
and friendless she was in the world.
Miss Negley, however, was in yer.
different mood.
"Come inp' she had answered
brusquely, to the knock at the door
without taking the trouble to NOV
from her seat.
And when Mr. Barthorne entered, h
espied her sitting stiff, silent, straight
"Good afternoon, Miss NegleyI' sal
the trustee, depositing his hat on tn
nearest desk and venturing on an apolt
getic bow.
"Good afternoon, Mr.. Barthornel
Miss Negley answered, with just abou
as much warmth as an icicle in he
address.
II hope do not intrude," said th
trustee, civilly.
"Oh, not at allr' said Miss Negley.
"A-hem"' said the trustee, eviden
ly ill at ease. "It amt easy to broac
, the business I've come on, Miss Negley
II should think not" said the lady.
, "But called just at this hour, whe
expected to find you alone"
"Oh, yes, I haven't any doubt tn;
; you did," Miss Negley interrupted hir
, in accents of fine sarcasm. "Eve
you, Squire Barthorne, would
: ashamed to hint at such thing befol
> the poor, dear children"
"EhP" said Mr.. Barthorne, instinc
lively retreating a pace or two. Fl
there was something pythoness-like
Miss Negley's attitude, as she rose al
= darted her head forward at him to eI
!. phasize her words.
II know what you're going to say
= said Miss Negley; "and won't list
: to a word of it-not one wordl No Of
= but set of narrow-minded mise
could have thought Of it. I'll lea