The Kimball graphic. (Kimball, Brule County, Dakota [S.D.]) 1883-1905, 1886-12-17


questions seemed to fall to NE, and
his lips twitched when / spoke OF CAV
elkind as q custom duty, and found
Wolsey guilty under the Statute OF
Purveyance. He seemed to enjoy my
blunders; the worst mistakes of Clau-
dia, Nell and Lottie never provoked
In him even q temptation to smile.
But the bad half-hour in my week
was on Saturday afternoons when l
went alone to him, and sat by his side
whilst he spread out that weeks his
tory paper OF mine before him and
commented on it's faults and required
an explanation Of its antiquities, and
waited patiently with most courteous
attention for my answers. Now and
then, glancing up at him quickly,
caught gleam of laughter deep down
in his eyes. Yet when he spoke his
voice was slow and grave and weighty.
It was Saturday afternoon in the
middle OF the term. l sat beside him
at the table, listening meekly to his
criticisms.
You miss the point here, Miss Chrys-
tal."
eyes, Mr.. Tudor"
And here you speak of impeach-
ment as though it was procedure by
BILL"
Eyes, Mr.. Tudor"
.'That is somewhat grave mis-
take"
l could not acquiesce again. And
the monosyllibic Eyes" was the only
form Of answer that came to me.
"And here, think. you were requir-
ed to discuss the constitutional i'm.
portance OF these events?"
"Yes, Mr.. Tudor"
tall"
"No-I am afraid am afraid not -
"Iou mistook the question, pos,
sibly?"
He was looking gravely at me, wait.
ing. My spoken answer like my writ.
ten answer, was not very much to the
point. spoke desperately.
"What is the good of it al?" I said
"What does it matter about the Judi
cial system, and who has the control
OF taxation? What does it matter
about the Parliament, and the courts
and all the dull old laws? One can't
really care for the Constitution"
had time while he sat surveying
me to feel ashamed of my babyish
passionate speech.
"What made you think OF devotine
yourself to the study OF constitution
al hlstory?" he said, with gentle sur
prise. His gentleness seemed like sat
ire. My eyes, in spite OF myself, filled
with tears. Suddenly he looked away
from me. He asked ME no more ques.
tions. For the next five minutes he
talked rapidly, without a pause
When l resolutely blinked back my
tears and glanced at him, he was dill
gently distiguring my history pape,
with crooked circles, and his face was
less brown than ruddy.
After that day his eyes ceased &c
twinkle when he looked at ne; he
passed me over in class and put the
puzzling questions to Nell and Claudia
and was almost gentle when I went
alone to him. He gave up asking me
to expound this theory and that argu
ment which he had failed to follow
and when he was forced to cond smr
my work, he worded his blame mildly
and looked away as he spoke.
He has forgiven you, Cis," said the
girls. "He completely ignores younow
for which you are thankful. Cis, are
you not?"
Every thankful" 1 said. 1 said il
impressively, for l needed to convince
myself as we'll as the girls.
l was inconsistent, for 1 be
gan to wish that he would fine
me amusing again, and to feel pangs
| of disappointment in class when he
passed me over, and to desire, with
quite unreasonable eagerness, that hi
| should look at me again, even if his
eyes would have laughter in thei,
depths.
But every week the laughter seemed
further away. And if he were grave
in class, he was graver still on Satur
| days. He gazed steadily at my pa
per as he discussed it, and discussed
it as though in q dream. He no long
er thought me fippant, and conceitec
and foolish, and tried to cure me. HI
no longer thought of me at all.
1t was only at the end of the tern,
| that he set aside his perfunctory tu
tor manner.
"Are you going home, Miss Crystal?'
he asked me hesitatingly.
eyes. Not at once though. For G
week or two am goingto stay with
| Claudia-Miss Harrison, I mean
Then she will come home with me-"
81 may be spending my holidays
near you. Perhaps-possibly-we
may meet each other"
"Oh yes, very possibly" 1 said
And suddenly felt light-hearted al
the thought Of holidays. There wa:
a little pause, and l arose and helc
out my hand.
1t is somewhere in Devonshire. i.
it not?" hesaid.
"What?"
"Your home"
eyes. Axetown East. Quite lit
tie place on the coast. Have you
friends there, Mr.. Tudor?"
NO" he said doubttully. ri be
| level believe the fishing is good?'
And it did not strike me as strang
that he should be going to place il
which he had no friends, and Of which
he did not know the name ant
| county.
But did not tell the girls what h
had told me. 1t was only at the enc
OF my visit to Claudia that l brok
the news to her. l broke it casually