The Kimball graphic. (Kimball, Brule County, Dakota [S.D.]) 1883-1905, 1886-12-17
A CRITICAL MAID.
Aor Love Conquered Constitutional History.

Iss A CRITICAL MAID.
dow Love Conquered Constitutional History.
The lecture was just over. Wefour
girls, the lectured, were standing, note
books inland, in q little group iE the
corridor, talking in subdued tones,
consulting one another on a knotty
point in the history OF grand jury.
The lecturer came out OF the lecture
room and passed US. He bowed
ravely as he passed. and went hastily
down the stairs, his college cap in his
hand, his long gown falling Imply
about his tall, thin figure. We were
silent until he Was out Of sight; then
7 our tongues we're loosened, and we no
longer spoke in subdued tones.
Poor young mani" said Lottie
feelingly
He is grave as a judge" said Nell.
4 That" said Claudia weightily; -
nervousness. Heisnervous, nervous
oi us. 2 -
But it was who had most to ~.
Ileant against the balusters, with my
/ face towards the open door of the
lecture-room, and gave the girls the
benefit Of all my observations.
Yes. he is nervous" said. "Poor
young man, he is shy! When asked
him if the grand jury still existed he
i blushed, girls -oh, he is copper.color-
ed to start with. ! know, but he blush
ed through the copper-color-"
For your ignorance, perhaps" sug-
gested Claudia.
He is very shy" said I. HE is
not used, expect. to teaching girls.
He cannot forget that we are girls.
He waited-did you notice?-until we
had left the room; the other lecturers
stalk out before u.s.. think he want
ed to open the door for us and to
bow US out. Oh, poor young man,
heis shy!-shy and young
The girls We're frowning at me-.
Claudia was touching my elbow, with
mysterious meaning, on one side; Nell
pulling my sleeve imperatively on the
other. Lottie formed her lips into q
silent nhush.a
"shy and young-very young!-
what is the matter2" ! said.
Nobody answered ne. No answer,
\ indeed, was needed. At that moment
our lecturer passed ns again and went
) back into the lectnre.room. He had
come up the stairs behind me he must
have heard me. He seemed to glance
my way as he passed. There seemed
to be q twinkle in his gray blue eyes.
The girls moved slowly away; but
turned precipitateiy and fled.
Past the lecture.room door. along
the corridor, upstairs fled to
my own little room (study, bed
chamber and reception-rooml near
the sky. | meant to work and took
my Stubbs ndturned over it's leaves,
and found my place hurriedly, with
an unusual energy. But work would
not drive away the remembrance OF
my unlucky speeches, the sentences
bore no meaning to me; / could not
fix my attention on the HISTORY OF
early Germanic institutions. / shut
up my Stubbs in despair; the girls
were playing tennis IN the courts be-
low. ! seized my racket and ran
swiftly down to Join them. Tennis
would make ME forget.
Bat il my thoughts were distracted
for an hour or two they attacked me
again when the game was over. l
stood before my glass and changed my
dress for dinner and grew rosy red as
the remembrance OF my words came
back. had said that he had blushed
because I spoke to him-I had said
that he was shy-I had implied that
he was shy OF me because was girl.
should never dare to speak TO him or
! look at him again! Ihad called him
copper-colored-at least might have
spared him that reproach. / looked
IN the glass at my own little face; it
Was brown as q berry-brown by ma
ture in the first place and made more
brown by the summer sun and the
2 breeze from the sea at home. His
4 eyes were blue and his hair was fair.
was altogether brown-hair,!i eyes,
skin, all brown alike. And had cali
ed him copper-colored!-I had called
him young.-what else had / called
him2 ] brushed back my brown hair
tightly and severely, tied my soft silk
! sash with a jerk and ran down to din
ner with rush, hoping to escape from
my thoughts again.
Perhaps, after all, thought, trying
to comfort myself, he had not heard
me. My voice, alas! was clear as q
BELLS; was an only girl in a family OF
boys "a spoilt girl who had never been
/ taught to be meek and s;lentin the pres
ence OF her brothers. talkative girl
who had learnt to make herself heard
in any Babel OF louder end gruffer
voices. But perhaps he had beer.
thinking mot listening meditating on
the Mark system, trial by jury, or the
Gisruptive tendency of feudal govern.
ment. But no., said the girls, hemust
have heard; there was no doubt what
ever that he had heard me.
The girls were as happy as usual.
They could contemplate the situation
tranquilly; it even afforded them
J amusement; they found something
humorous in my discontinue. 1t
was : not they, whom be had over
heard.
We sat III o half circle on the floor
Z before the FIRE that night, in our pref
ty bright dressing-gowns, and drank
cocoa and ate sweet biscuit before go
ing 20 bed. Twas hostess. The study,