River Falls journal. [volume] (River Falls, Pierce County, Wis.) 1872-2019, 1884-12-11
THE PROFESSOR.
BY s. D.
- - -
Written for the er-JournaL


the battle scared copy of Horace that
lay on his desk, and fastened his dark
eyes on Elise.
Excuse me, Professor, but I know
the translation made of that passage
is not correct, and would rather not
read it. Although l tried very hard |
have not been able to get at the poets
exact meaning"
81 did not ask you to express your
opinion of the translation you had
made, Miss O'Btien, but requested you
to read itl' and the shadows grew
darker ON his face.
Really, Professor, l cannot read it, "
persisted the fair girl.
well, tryl"
Elise recognized the accents Of COM
mand in what he said, and it never oc-
Cured to her to disobey him or to re-
sist further No one who had ever been
4 IN lis Ii e class would have parleyed with
him when he looked and spoke in that
way. So she snatched up her book and
hastily read the verse he had called
upon her to translate.
Her effort was greeted with a litter Of
laughter all around the class. 1t was
not often that the members of Prof.
migrants class cast aside the dignity be-
coming the situation when they were in
his recitation room. but this was more
than they were prepared for. Even the
Professor could not restrain the smile
that crept ever his dark, handsome
face as he heard his pupils version of
the venerable Latin language. Elise
feigned to laugh little, too.
81 suppose, sir" she said, looking
up at him defiantly; the next time |
tell you [ cannot translate certain
passage you viii believe me? ?"
He made no reply, but fastened his
eyes on her with keener scrutiny.
He was wondering how the girl who was
so freely praised by other teachers as
being the ster of their classes, who, he
had heard. vas the sharpest mathema-
tician in the school and excelled in the
literature OF other languages, could be
so slow to comprehend Latin.
Elise wai glad when he passed the
verse to another girl, for she was grow
ing uneasy under his searching gaze.
A short time afterward she was on
her way to her MUSHROOM to practice,
and chancel to meet Matte Hltton,
her first favorite, III the hall. Matte
commencedlaughing and exclaimed:
"Well. Ilise, that was a heavenly
translation YOU treated us to this morn
ingl No doubt it made old Horace turn
over in his grave to have his pet thought
so fearfullyElistorted.
81 don't dare if it did! Did | not tell
Prof. InglRm | could not read il? l
know as wel as you all how ridiculous
nv translation sounded. [ have known
a long time there is no bright hope of
my ever being Latin scholar. Papa
saws it is because did not have com
petent teacher in the beginning. Any
way. / have guch distaste for it that
| can not make up my mind to learn it..
L did not dislike it so before / com
menced taking lessons from Prof. In
gram, hut now it seems like / only go
to that class to make display OF my
ignorance day after day. He generally
calls upon me to read the most difficult
part of the lesson, and if he finds that
/ am especially ignorant on any par
ticular subject that is the very one
about which he asks me most questions.
You know / have no trouble i'll any 9TH
er class, hut it seems that when he fixes
those hateful old dark eyes on me it sets
my wits w6olgathering. / believe | am
afraid of linn"
"Afraid of Prof. Ingram? The idea
of such thing! 1t is true l would not
dare disobsy him, or thwaFt him III any
way, butt never dreamed of being afraid
of him. He is positive and stern, but
never violent nor rude, and, truly, for
Justice and kindness all seasons are sum-
mer to him."
"Kindnessl" cried Elise, her pretty
blue eyes sparkling scornf1lly, II wish
he would indulge in distribution of it
when / am near, if he keeps such a
stock in store. l suppose, in my win
ter Of discomfort. / fail to appreciate
Professors summer time disposition.
[ am sure I ever dread the hour when
his class meets, and would walk far
out Of my way to avoid meeting him on
the lawn.
ELISE, you should not say that. For
my part think he is very patient with
YOU. and Iknow he has never treated
you unkindly."
mo he never chides me in words,
but his eyes speak volumes of disap
proval to me. He is so cold and digni-
fed that lam always i'll at ease in his
presence. They say he goes much in
society; wonder if bis manner out
there is the same as here? If it is |
should think there y ould always be a
vacant space around him."
"I do not know; I never met him be-
fore came here, but have heard he cut
quite figure in Paris winter before
last. suppose he was more vivacious
there, or la belle Franchise would never
have smiled on him.
Here Matte, remembering that the
bell had rung for her next class, start
ed on, telling Elise to come over to her
room early that evening, that they
could get through with their work in
time to g out for q walk. Elise and
Matte we're true friends, and they al
WAYS studied their lessons together,
helping each other all they could, ex-
cept in Latin. Elise would not study
that with any one, because she felt that,
in it, she could not help them in return
for the assistance they would give her.
For a few days after this little cpl
sode, Elise, although she pretended not
TO mind her failure, worked at the de-
spised study with more zeal.
But ere long she became discouraged
again. and many a time would have
begged the superintendent permission
to quit the class, but for one reason
she knew that unless she attained pro-
ficiency in this branch, she could not
take full diploma chat year, and, al
though tae stady Of Latin was great
burden to her, she coIlld not gain her
own consent to lay it down at the cost
of losing a diploma, the consummation
deyoutly to Be desired" of every school
girls heart.
II am afraid it is useless for me to
trv." she said to one Of the girls, on her
way 10 TIE 1iOiessoi 04Iite Aie way ~
the senior Latin examination, but Il
seems too bad, after have been sosnc
cessful in all my other classes, to give
no my hopes of a diploma and the
sollolarship medal without even making
an effort il tins. IF / had gotten the
mnsie medal, would not cafe 50 mncai
hut | lost time llroniug over this old
latin. and cpY7ld not nav proper atteu-
ton TO nv music. I rarely ever had
such holrid luck in all my life. and
poor napa viii be 50 greatly aisap-