The Warner weekly sun. (Warner, Brown Co., Dakota [S.D.]) 1883-1885, 1884-12-26
THE PROFESSOR.
BY S. D.

dlgnltied tones, as he looked up from
the battle scared copy Of Horace that
lay on his desk, and fastened his dark
eyes on Elise.
Excuse me, Professor, but l know
the translation I made of that passage
is not correct, and ] would rather not
read it. Although l tried very hard l
have not been able to get at the poets
exact meaning"
"I did not ask you to express YOUR
opinion of the translation you had
made, Miss O'Brien, but requested you
to read it," and the shadows grew
darker on his face.
Really, Professor, l cannot read it, "
persisted the fair girl.
well, try!"
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 II who had ever been
in his 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 witha litter Of
laughter all around the class. It 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 over his dark, handsome
face as he heard his pupils version of
the venerable Latin language. Elise
feigned to laugh a little, too.
Fl suppose, sir" she said, looking
up at him defiantly 1.-The next time I
tell you [ cannot translate a certain
passage you will believe me?"
He made no reply, but fastened his
eyes on her with q keener scrutiny.
He was wondering how the girl who was
SO freely praised by other teachers as
being the star of their classes, who, he
had heard. was the sharpest mathema-
tician in the school and excelled in the
literature of other languages, could be
so slow to comprehend Latin.
Elise was glad when ne 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 music-room to practice,
and CHANGED to meet Matte Hatton,
her first fayorite, in the hall. Matte
commenced laughing and exclaimed:
"Wel. Elise, that was a heavenly
translation you treated us to this morn
ing! No doeehht it made old Horace turn
over in his grave to have his pet thought
so fearfully distorted"
81 don't care if it did, Did I not tell
Prof. Ingram j could not read it? /
know as we'll as you all how ridiculous
my translation sounded. / have known
o long time there is no bright hope of
my fever being a Latin scholar. Papa
says it is because I did not have a com.
petent teacher in the beginning. ANY
way, ] have such q distaste for it that
j can not make up my mind to learn il.
I did not dislike it SO before I com
menced taking lessons from Prof. In
gram, but now it seems like / only go
TO that class to make a 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
ticnlar subject that is the very one
about which he asks me most questions.
You know / have no trouble in any 9TH
err class but it seems that when he fixes
those hateful old dark eyes on me il sets
my wits woolgathering. / believe / am
afraid of him"
Afraid Of Prof. Ingram? The idea
of such a thing! 1t is true i would not
dare disobey him, or thwart him in d
way, but / 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
I blue eyes sparkling sc~ornfully. II wish
Me would indulge in Il distribution Of it
when / am near, il he keeps such o
4ock in store. I suppose, il my vim
tx Of discontent, r fail to appreciate
Professors ummor Time disposition
an sure I ever dread the hour when
his class meets, andI would walk far
outto nv WY 10 avoid meeting him on
the lawn"
Elise. you ahould not say that. Fol
my part I thank he i very patient with
you, and ! know be has never treated
you mlkind1y."