The Lambertville record. [volume] (Lambertville, N.J.) 1872-1968, 1883-07-25
MISCELLANY.
A REDUCTION OF SALARY.

A REDUCTION OF SALARY.
1t was sunshiny May day, with an inn
mense bee booming among the hlacs aud
peonies in the school garden, nm intense
glow OF golden light on the grass, aud a
dreamy languor in the air that made Alice
Hopkins sleepy in spite of herself, as she sat
with the little childrens copy-books in q
pile before her, inscribing the months marks
upon their covers, according to their respect
i've merits
Alice vas scarcely more than q child her
SELF Barely nineteen, with 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 neces-
sary for her position as assistant teacher
never saw such babyishuess in my
life !" said Miss Negley, the principals land
shall not put up with it, Miss Hopkins
don't You think It Dignity, in the educa.
tional line is everything And do not call
it fitting to the position of assistant princi-
pal to be racing around with the children in
their MONDAY games, and dressing corn
cob doll on the sly for little Priscilla Jones,
to say nothing about bursting out crying,
like great baby, when Billy Smith killed
the robin redbreast with stone. Dignity.
Miss Hopkins-dignity should ever be the
patchwork of Our profession"
Miss Negley was tall and grim, with heavr
hoir oil
missing front teeth, and something very like
a moustaehe.
Alice Hopkins covered before her severe
glance.
Pm very sorryl" faltered she. "Pn
try to be good!"
More like a child than ever !" said Miss
Negley, despairingly.
IL mean," Alice fastened to correct
herself-"I will endeavor to set guard
upon my rash impulses"
That sounds more like 1t ~ said Miss
Nesiey, And now, Alice, see here l ex-
pect some of the school-trustees here to-mor.
row."
"Oh, dear :" said Alice, remembering the
signal failure o Ter cla-s upon similar oc.
casion, not so very long ago. at isn't
another examination, hope p
g Worse than that" said Miss Negley-.
far worse"
Alice lifted her hazel eyes in amazement
What could possibly be worse than Fanny
Dow spelling cat with 4, and Lucy Mailey
asserting that Baltimore was situated on the
left bank of the River Nile.
"There is proposition on foot to reduce
our salaries" said Miss Negley. Actually,
to reduce our salaries I"
"Oh," said Alice. "But mine is very
small already. Only one hundred dollars
year. l don't think they can reduce it
much"
"They can reduce il to fifty, can't they 2n
said Miss Negley, shortly.
" In that case" ventured Alice, 81 could
go and be shop-girl in my uncie's store in
the city. One must live |"
You've no proper PRIDE" said Miss
Negley. "a shop-girl, indeed But l
don't intend that they shall carry out THEN
nefarious plans. IT, My good gracious
me! there comes Mr.. Barthorne now, jog
ging along on his old gray horse just as
composed Ak 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
ri show him A reduction of salaries, in
deed / dare say he means to wheedle 0
consent out of US beforehand, so that every
thing shall seem smooth tomorrow when
the committee meets. But he'll find that he
has mistaken his customer this time I"
Little Alice began to tremble all over, and
to grow pink and white by turns, after her
usual fashion, when she was disturbed.
ell am SO frightened I" hesitated she.
"Please, may go homer"
"Yes, you little coward" impatiently re-
sponded Miss Negley "that is, if you
haven't the courage to stand up for yourself
and your rights"
"But Mr.. Barthorne has always been sc
kind to me-" faltered Alice Hopkins, "and
If he should tell me that it was bIst almost
salary reduced. You know, dear Miss Neg
ley, that if it hadn't been for him, / never
should have received the appointment at
ALL"
az don't wonder" said Miss Negley,
apostrophizing the ceiling, that they aren't
willing to allow women the privilege of suf-
frage 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"
nd a
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 its nail, and
vanished like flying shadow into the near.
est patch of cedar woods.
Miss Negley sat very upright, with folded
arms and prominent elbows. her nose slight.
iy tinctured with the rosy hne of coming
battle, her lips 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 hitching- post, and,
totally unconscious that he was observed,
alike by Miss NegIey from her post of
authority on the schooLroom dais, and little
Alice Hopkins 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.
Pm glad I'm not there. . said Alice Hop
kins, with a long sigh of relief.
| And then, having cooled her face and
hands in the transparent spring, she sol
| dnwD In think