The Monitor. [volume] (Woodstown, N.J.) 1884-1892, 1886-02-19

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she noticed too, that Abner required a
great deal of attention. His examples were
constantly puzzling him, and his reader
| abounded with words which he could not
pronounce He asked for more assistance
than any other pupil in her charge; but she
was pleased to find him so Interested. and
she encouraged him gladly; and the Corner
became every day more convulsed over the
| Abner.
The first intimation Of any trouble was
when Annette and Lavina Fox took their
books home in the middle of the week.
'Why do you take your books to-night?'
questioned MISS Manning innocentIy, as
she saw the girls carefully gathering them
together.
Ma and pa said we shouldn't come no
longer, " explained Layna.
And why not, pray ?" asked Miss Mann
ing, wonderingiy. What is to keep
you at home p
Layina hung her head, but Annette,
more bold, answered: "Pa recltons
Abncr II get schooling enough for lis all
afore he gifts through 1t seems as how as
he gets more Of the teaehin' now, anyway"
| Then the girls took their books and hurried
away
| Miss Manning looked after their retreat
| ing forms i'll bewildered amazement. What
was the matter? Were they jealous of
| their own brother? The real meaning of
their words did not dawn upon her mind.
| She puzzled upon it all the evening as she
sat alone in her room, but finally conclud-
ed it was not matter worth wasting her
time over, and, turning to her desk, she
busted herself in correcting large sheets of
manuscript, which seemed to absorb all
her thoughts until late at night
Abncr attended school as usual the next
day, and was conspicuous in his attempts
to be of assistance to Miss Manning. He
brought her rnbbers and warmed them for
her, and insisted ON warming her shawl be-
fore she put it on after school, much to the
| amusement of various giggling urchins. He
also insisted upon accompanying her to
Doctor Bradford's gate, although it was
directly out his way
Nice kind-heartcd fellow, thought Miss
Manning; he is trying to make up for the
oifensc of his sisters. He does not want
me to feel hart at their somew hat rude con-
duet
That night the Corner school was dis
cuSsed again at the store
''IIow is it, silas?' asked Lem Walters
as Silas joined the group around the dried
apple barrel ''Wc hear Abner is actooIy
engaged to the school ma am Is it so -
Don't know nothin' about it, and don't
want to know SiIas answered surlily.
''All know is that my gals has stopped
| goin to school, and if Abner wants to
make fool of hsself he can do it. Shes
no wife for him, and shes no love tor him.
| Shes arter the farm, that's what she's
arter anybody " it'll one eye can see that
Layina heard her askin' Abncr all about
his crops and pretcndin' to take wonder
| full interest in the work of a farm. Just
natterin' the boy up, like as you'd rub a
eats fur to get it to feelin' good and pleas
ant"
''She's oldeI'n Abner, said Lem. ''She
must be fully 20 years old
''she's 25 years old if she's day. :" said
Silas. THAT makes her all the more bound
to hang on to the boy; but wash my
hands of the whole matter. He can take
her, in welcome, eff he wants her, but he
to tight pinch Jane and me haint
worked all these years to lay up few dol
lars to throw away on that highly; ighty
miss, if she hes q purity face, a fact don't
confess.
''Thcy say Abuer puts on her rubbers for
her now--and helps tic her bonnet strings, :
continued Lem, who was great tease, as
well as great gossip; is that So"
Don't know notfin' about it, tell
you, Silas retort,d. Bat I've AN idce
he II find it harder to bag her bonnet rib
bons than he does to he EN-. Any gal
that's as fond of toggery As she is, II ruin
man mighty quick. An she cant bake a
batch of bread to save her life. She told
Annette so.
Within another fortnight the story was
widely circulated that Abner was engaged
| to the school ma am and his folks We're
awful mad; but Miss Manning still heard
| nothing of this; and though she still Won
dered why the Fox girls left school, She
asked no questions and no one dared ap-
preach her ON the subject. Shc'was amused
and touched at Abner's dog-likc fidelity,
and received his proilered attentions with
u sweet courtesy that was natula! to her,
but which the love-sick oyergrown boy
understood to mean cordial encourage
ment
When there remained only six weeks
more of school, however, Miss Manning
was surprised to receive am invitation from
Abner to attend a sleigh ride and dance at
lIawlcy's Inu, six miles distant.
Miss Manning thanked him, but de-
elined. Il do not dance, She said, ''and
would rather not 60, Abner. You had
better ask some of the girls near Your own
age
Abner flushed angrily You ought not