Western Kansas world., 1886-04-17
LITTLE MISS JOYCE.

disorderly conduct, an d it was difficult
to secure and keep teacher for any
length OF time. This state OF affairs had
been brought about by several half
grown BOYS, well in their teens, who had
never had any training at home, and con-
sequently were ungovernable at school,
and a nuisance in the community. The
asst teacher had resigned and gone away
in disgust before the term was out My
father was one of the board of directors.
The board met with only one application
to consider. When my father came
home we beseiged him with questions
concerning the new teacher.
II think" said he with moked gravity,
swell have order out OF chaos, now;
there's look in her eye that means
business
Reuben y said my mother, with
anxious solicitude, wouldn't it have been
better to have hired man teacher this
term?"
1--WE had no choice, my dear. There
was no other applicant. And now, boys"
turning to Mark and me, '.when you
can't be gentlemen at school, putting a
good deal of emphasis on the word, III
sisting t1at it covered the whole ground,
'I'u put you to work on the farm. y
That caution was all we needed. We
knew he meant business, too.
This was the middle of the week.
There was nothing seen or heard of Miss
Joyce-that was her name-till the fol-
lowing Monday morning. We were
gathered in little knots about the school.
yard, wondering what she would be like,
anyway, when carriage drove up; a
lady ahghted, walked briskly up the
path, throwing CHEEKY good morning
right and left, unlocked the school house
door and went in. The driver followed
her with a large basket. L think if a
bombshell had exploded in our midst,
we would not have been more completely
amazed.
..Poohr' said Nat Green, the leader Of
the outlawry, at last drawing a long
breath, Il could pick her up with one
hand and put her in my pocket"
"Whar dat muskeeter 1 seed gwine
erlong dis er walk?'' cried the mimic,
Sam Wilder, running little ways and
jumping up and clapping his hands to-
gether.
"Uncle Sambo! where's your glasses?'
said Pete Dorsey. ''Your musquito is
only harmless little gnat.'
These sallies excited peals of laughter,
which had scarcely died away when the
bell rang, and we marched up and took
our places. 1t would be difficult to say
just what the scholars expected to see in
the new teacher.
That it was something entirely differ
ent from what they had anticipated their
faces readily showed. Bnt can only
speak definitely in regard to myself.
Remembering what my father had said,
"There's look in her eye that means
business" and also remembering that
her predecessors, as far as l knew, had
all been of generous proportions, had
framed this portrait in my ''mind's eye"
A tall, raw-boned, muscular woman Of
at least 35, with steel-blue eyes, to whom
the darkest deception was as the lace of
a cob-web. And there she was, not my
portrait surely, but the new teacher nev-
ertheless, and not whit taller than our
Mary Marthy. never read Robert
Browning's "Flight of the Duchess"
when he sketched
THE smallest woman alive"
without thinking of her az she stood on
the platform that Monday morning. A
diminutive form, but of perfect symmetry,
face all sunshine and dimples, laugh
ing brown eyes and an abundance of
fluffy, gold brown hair rolled into glis-
tening coil high on the head. This last,
/ presume, was device to increase her
stature She did not look day over Is,
but we afterward learned that she had
Just turned her 25th birthday. When
J. she spoke it was like listening to a
chime OF bells, SO musical and SO per-
\, fectly raodulated were the tones OF her
voice. She spoke with simple direct
ness.
ss @My dear pupils! 1 am Miss Joyce,
= your teacher for this term. am very
glad to see you all. have brought a
heart full Of love for you and my work,
and / know we shall get along admirably
together, and do each other good. 1t is
always my custom to open school each
morning by repeating the Lords prayer
and asking his guidance..and blessing on
our efforts for the day. We will repeat
it together, please"
She followed the beautiful prayer to
the end, but not voice joined hers. I
know you could have heard pin drop,
the silence was 80 profound. had been
accustomed to hear it repeated in our
family circle and in the pulpit as far
back as / could remember, but never
with such power and pathos as that. 1t
was an inspiration and deity brought
out such realistic, spiritual meanings as
I had never dreamed it possessed. I felt
my heart made 80 tender that I knew 1
could shed tears if were not boy IL
years old and too big for that sort of
thing. Oh, wonderful, magnetic power!
said the man of sorrows. The spirit OF
the master was working in our midst. I
threw one hurried glance about the room.
Mary Marthy was wiping her eyes with
the corner Of her blue gingham apron; st.
Cairs face-usually his black eyes were
dancing with mischief wore solemn,
wiEtful look that I have never seen on il
before. Nat Green had his back to the
school and%As looking out OF the window
across rolling stretch ofprairie, motion