Thomas County cat. [volume] (Colby, Kan.) 1885-1891, 1886-12-30

did you say, Cts? Nothing nothing
Itat all events that mattered. You said
he was young; well, that is true. How
old. girls, do you imagine he is?"
'.Twenty-fiye," said Lottie.
Twenty. FOUR" said Nell.
Every young" said Claudia, conclu-
sively.
.Ihen you called him shy-well, he
is shy. You said he blushed-well, he
does blush"
:. THAT is just It," I groaned. ut is
all so true"
"He will think you observant,"
said Nelly, nibbling the sugar from
her biscuit with slow epicurean enjoy
ment.
''He will think. at allevents. that you
are interested in him." said Lottie,
cheerfully.
I'm him-a man!'' I groaned, for a
girl who has tyrannized over eight adj
miring brothers and been treated all
her life with Difference by fond father
and uncles has an ungrateful scorn
for men. / had had no meek mother
and aunts and sisters to teach me hu-
mility as a becoming womanly virtue.
Poor Cis-poor Cicely!" said the
girls alphabetically. ':And Saturday
is coming and you will be forced to
see him. You poor, poor Cicely!'
Yes, Saturday was coming. On
Wednesday and Thursday and Friday
l went about with constant conscious
ness of Saturdays inevitable advance.
Our lecturer had stated that on Sa:ur-
day afternoon he would be pleased to
60 through our papers with us, to dis
cuss points of interest, explain diff
culties. and remove possible miscon-
ceptons. We were to go to him sing
~. I was to go alone to the man who,
l had said, was shy of me and thought
of me as girl and could not forget
that l was girl, whom l had called
copper-colored, who had said blushed;
the thought was terrible.
Saturday came. The girls were cheer
full go first Cis." they said-..go
first and get it over"
Eyes. 1 will 20 first" said. But
when he came I faltered and put off
the evil moment, and Claudia, Nell and
Lottie all went in before me.
HE is not shy to-day" reported
Nell, on her return. Il think, Cts, that
we were mistaken about him. Or, per-
haps, he was under the impression
that we were learned girls; after our
papers and our chatter he knows us
better and thinks very little of US. He
IS solemn-horribly solemn! And no
Did man could be severer. Oh; he is /
quite ut his ease"
Nell had reported truly. He was
quite at his ease. He rose when he
heard me. and looked at me calmly |
enough when he shook hands.
''Miss Chrystal?" he said. ..S
YES" said, meekly.
He touched q chair that stood beside |
lis at the table, and sat down with
ceiling of obedience. His face was
.rave. his manner. as Nell had said,
severe, wondered how 1 could have
bought him nervous. He seated him
elf beside me. and drew a corrected
exercise toward him.
This. | think, is your paper, Miss
yes" said. in a small voice-.:I-
think so, Mr.. Tudor
He turned the pages slowly and
'ravely. l sat looking down at my
lands folded meekly on the table and
lid not see his face.
"Your first answer isis made
quate."
1.-The first part Of Stubs isis very
litficult," | said, venturing to look up.
There was strange quick little
Wrinkle for moment in his eyes as he
'.anced at me; but his lips did not
mile.
I'm the next question:" he said,
lowly, "You confuse--or seem to con-
things, the constitutions and
he Assize of Clarendon-a slip, per-
aps?"
He was looking steadily and calmly
t me. waiting. For the first time in
~ life l felt small and young and I
leek. | forgot that was nineteen {
nd no longer a schoolgirl. 1 was
with sense of nv own S
ynoranc. Not was not a slip." l
aid. Constitutional history is quite
ute new to me-" y
$50 l had gathered from your pa {
err he said quietly.
His very gravity and quietness i
eemed like bitterest satire. He said 1
e did not grasp my theory here-did
OF follow my argument there. And '
ad had no theory could not follow a
y own argument. He grew more n
rave and quiet and slow. AT last he a
ushed back his chair little and gave e
le my paper folded. a
You will have to read very steadily, l.
[iss Crystal" y
Yes" l said, in a small voice. a
''For some months"
Yes" l said again. g
'sThe rest of the class are far ahead c
YOU" a
'.Yes-yes-I know" said. fl
He seemed to have nothing more a
holesomely humiliating to say to me, Il
I'd l understood that the interview Il
igEt end. and rose to 60. He rose, h
70. Immediately. Most of our lecturers
,dded at us and sat still. Mr.. Tudor t:
needed something to nv girlhood.
e stood where stood, and remained "
anding as he continued to speak to C
e. He threw out crumb of praise. 81