Wessington Springs herald. (Wessington Springs, Aurora County, Dakota [S.D.]) 1883-1891, 1886-06-25

private rehearsal. She was carving u
spray Of sweetbrier that she had brought
from home-it was her wont to bring
flowers to all her particular friends,
and she cast it down carelessly on tho
table as she shook hands.
"Sweetbier?" remarked Baroko,
calmly: "Ah, how pleasant it smells!"
it telicious?" saidMolly, blithe-
". ut always reminds me of old times.
lake 1t if you care, Prof. Brandon. |
can get plenty more"
"Ihankyou," said Baroko, with grave
courtesy, taking the spray from her
II 1t would have been difficult to
tell from his tones whether the gift
pleased Inn, and Molly half fancied that
she had ben foolish to offer him any
thing so frivolous as sweetbrier. But
she dismissed the subject with cirlish
light-heaf tedncss, and it never crossed
her mind tgain.
Barokoi however, took the sweetbrier
home AID kept it in a vase till it grew
limp ard dropping. When the servant
came il to dust ono morninr # v,s
gone.
eff She notices it's Absence" said Ba-
roko Q himself with aguilty conscience,
referring to the domestic, as he stole
the sveetbrier out of the vase, s'she will
problbly think that 1 have thrown it
into the fire."
Alter this Molly made rapid progress.
Two months later, when Alicia, with an
amiable condcscension calculated to melt
the hardest heart, offered to help her
through a difficult exercise at the end of
"Jevons," she was able to refuse the
offer With equal amiability.
"Oh.I suppose Prof. Brandon will
hclp. yoq," said Alicia, sweetly. 81 for
got"
"Oh, no." returned Molly, who,
young az she was, quite understood the
art of fehcing. "He only helped me
once or twice at first, to bring me to a
level withthe others. Not with you, of
course; but then you are so far above
the rest OF us poor mortals. Still, 1 can
manage this, l think. 1t is not very
hard" she added, audaciously, know
ing that Alicia had complained of it's
difficulty.
"Isn't it?:" said Alicia, with calm SUI
periority. 81 thought 1t hard for n
n not very far advanced; but we
shall all have to come to you for help
soon, 1 dare say"
She sailed away with an amiable
smile. Sailing was natural to Alicia.
Next Monday the logic class met as US
ual, and twas remarked by one or two
observant damsels that Prof. Bran
don's countenance wore an unusually
ethereal expression.
"fhe papers this week." he said, be-
nignly, with one exception, show an
utter misunderstanding Of the whole
subject involved. Miss Hargreaves, I
regret to say, that for once you have
shown yourself completely at seas
most unusual occurrence" he added,
with heartfelt rejoicing, hardly yelled
by tones OF ultra courtesy. The only
successful paper was Miss Drum
mond's."
He darted a. keen glance at Molly as
he spoke. She blushed, but she did not
look triumphant, as he had half expect
ed. In fact, her predominant feeling at
the moment was sympathy for Alicia,
and she cast a remorseful look at thai
heroine.
| IL WIN v. OCCul tINSIlil, SHC CA-
claimed hastily, bent on soothing her
rivals modification. But Alicia's
steady smile made her shrink back into
| herself.
81 had such Il terrible headache"
Alicia said apologet:cally, after she had
bestowed that smile Of congratulation
on Molly.
"Ah, 1 was sure there must be some
excellent reason for the remarkable
confusion of your paper" observed
Baroko suavely. 1t WAS too bad, but
he did not believe in Alicia's headache,
and she knew it. This was the more
trying because she had told the truth.
Molly, half amused and half penitent,
fingered q moment when the class was
over to speak to Baroko. There was a
book he had promised to lend her.
.'Wcll, Miss Drummond, 1 hope you
are content with your. victory" said the
professor, who was.
81 have vexea Alicia retorted Molly
scrio-comically. II couldn't help it,
could II"
"Ccrtainly not. Miss Hargraves will
recover from the blown time" said
the professor, who could not resist
opportunity Of giving his enemy q
| stab, even when she was not there.
81 am very pleased with you sue
cess"
ooh, I'm glad some one is pleased"
said Molly half dolefully.
Baroko looked at her kindly.
.'You must learn to be less sensi-
tive" he said in a cordial, almost broth
cr]y tone. sit doesn'tpay Miss Drum
mond."
ooh, how can I help it, exclaimed
Molly, the tears springing to her eyes.
Baroko watched her for a few seconds
in silence; then he reused himself.
''Here is your book, Miss Drummond.
Don't fret about Alicia; she will get
over it. 1 fear you are too generous
with your sympathy-not a very COM
mon falling" The satire returned to
has voice with the last words, but Molly's
grateful, wistful look charmed it away
again.
'Good-bye," he said. He shook her
hand more warmly than usual-it was
generally like shaking hands with a fish
to shake hands with Baroke-and hur-
ried away.
II.