The Kimball graphic. (Kimball, Brule County, Dakota [S.D.]) 1883-1905, 1884-11-28
THE PROFESSOR.
BY 8. D.

miss O'Brien will read the mex,
~stanza~ said Prof. Ingram, in cold,
digniied tones, as he looked up from
the battle.scared copy of Horace that
lay on his desk, and fastened his dark
eyes Oh Elise.
Excuse me, Professor, but 1 know
the translation lmade of that passage
is not correct, and I would rather not
read it. Although I tried very hard
have not been able to get at the poets
exact meaning"
ri did not ask you to express your
opinion of the translation you had
made, Miss O'Bfien, but requested you
to read It'll" and the shadows grow
darker on his face.
REALLY, Professor, I cannot read it,
persisted the fair girl.
well, try!"
Elise recognized the accents Of COM
mand in what he said, and it never &C.
Cured to her to disobey him or to re-
sist further. No one who had aver 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 lie had called
upon her to translate.
Her effort was greeted with litter Of
laughter all around the class. It was
not often that the members of Prof
Ingram's class cast aside the dignity be-
coming the situation when they were in
his recitation-room. but this was NOR
than they were prepared for. Even the
Professor could not restrain the smile
that crept wei his dark, handsome
face as he heard his pupils version o.
the venerable Latin language. Elise
feigned to laugh a little, too.
81 suppose, sir" she said, looking
up at him defiantly; "the next time ]
tell you [ cannot translate a certain
passage you will believe me?"
He made no reply, but fastened his
eyes On her with a keener scrutiny
He was wondering how the girl who was
so freely praised by other teachers as
being the star of their classes, who, be
had heard. was the sharpest mathema-
tician in the school and excelled in the
literature of other languages, could be
30 slow to comprehend Latin.
Elise was 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 or
her way to her MUSHROOM to practice,
and CHANGED to meet Matte Hatton
her first favorite, in the hail. Matte
commenced laughing and exclaimed:
"Well. Elise, that was o heavenly
translation you treated us to this morn
ing! No doubt it made old Horace TURF
owe in his grave to have his pet thought
SO fearfully distorted"
II don't care if it did! Did I not tel.
Prof. Ingram l could not read it? ]
know as well as you all how ridiculous
my translation sounded. I have known
q long time there is no bright hope O,
my eve being a Latin scholar. Paps
says it is because 1 did not have y com
petent teacher in the beginning. Any
way, I have such a distaste for it thai
l can not make up my mind to learn it
I did not dislike it SO before I com
menced taking lessons from Prof. In
gram, but now it seems like I only gc
to that class to make q 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
I am especially ignorant on any par.
ticular subject that is the very one
about which he asks me most questions
You know I have no trouble in any 9th.
er class, but it seems that when he fixes
those hateful old dark eyes on me it sets
my wits woolgathering. I believe I an
afraid of him"
afraid of Prof. Ingram? The ides
Of such a thingl 1t is true I would no
dare disobey him, or thwart him in any
way, but I never dreamed Of being afraiC
of him. He is positive and stern, bu'
eve violent nor rude, and, truly, fol
justice and kindness all seasons are sum
mer to him."
"Kindness!" cried Elise, her pretty
blue eyes sparkling scornfully, II wisl
he would indulge in a distribution of il
when | am near, if he keeps such {
stock in store. l suppose, in my win,
ter of discomfort, 1 fail to appreciate
Professors summer time disposition
I am SURE I ever dread the hour wher
his class meets, and 1 would walk fal
ont of my way to avoid meeting him OF
the lawn"
elise, you should not say that. Fo1
my part l think he is very patient will
you, and l know he has never treated
you u%nkindly."
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 l am always i'll at ease in his
presence. They say he goes much il
society; | wonder if his on
there Is the same as here? If it is
should think there would always be
vacant space around HIM"
81 do not know; I ever met him be
fore I came here, but have heard he Gu
quite a figure in Paris winter befor,
last. I suppose he was more vivacious
there, or 10 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 yer to hel
room early that evening, that they
could get through with their work il
time to go out for a walk. Elise anG
Matte were true friends, and they al
ways studied their lessons together
helping each other all they could, ex,
cept in Latin. Elise would not stud,
that with any one, pecaus 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 no
TO mind her failure, worked at the de
spised study with more zeal.
But ere long she became discouraged