The Ohio Democrat. (Logan, O. [Ohio]) 1886-1906, 1888-06-16


constant danger of being tripped up while
passing across II. The windows were
broad Sits in the walls, two on each side,
and covered with bed-ticklng tackled to a
rude framework, all four of which were
| now loose aud creaking and slamming dis
| mally In the high autumn blasts. The dopr
was swinging on It's rusty hinges as II bent
| on getting free IL was a decidedly unfa-
| vorable appearance to greet the eyes of a
| young teacher, more especially one who has
never taught.
"verily, mine is most open reception" !"
exclaimed Ztima, with q smile, stepping in
and surveying the interior Of her temple Of
| learning on Coyote Prairie. eve shall not
want for oxygen. The mudwasps have olab-
oratey fcstooncd the walls, while the spiders,
evidently thinking that fllmy lambrcquins
would add beauty to the corners, have been
| auxiliary in weaving most delicate patterns
for my academy. What! great, ungainly
dry goods box for tho teachers desk. Now,
| won't look queenly and commanding be-
hind that, seated on big, much whitfield
bench.
"Gcntcmen of leisure about town are said
to find much pleasure in dry goods boxes as
seats, so I'll get all the enjoyment possible
out of this one as u desk. II has not been
very well appreciated in tho past Judging
from the jack-knife defacements and at
tempts at hieroglyphics on its sides. Well,
I'll make tho best of things as they are, for
the present, but when I draw my first
months salary we shall behold some public
improvements. But l must not forget the
story of the milk maid, lest /, too, may build
too much on the future"
Zelma's adaptability to circumstances en-
abled her to conquer all discouragements
that she might otherwise have experienced
in the novel arrangements of the school
room.
Jacob Hadley's numerous children stuck a
powerful likin'" to the new teacher, as Mrs.
III. took the pains to inform her after one
week of school had passed.
Jake, the eldest, a robust fellow of
eighteen, had told Zelma Of the unpleasant
experience of the last teacher who, in Coy
ote Prairie language had been forced "to
git up an hustle" by the largest pupil be-
longing to the school, Bill Warren, who, as
the elder Hadley said, was "a holy terror,
and run the hull skule.''
"Bill always goes armed" said young
Jake. ''The other boys'll all mind We but
him. He rules the roost at home and ever
body is as 'feard of him as o. Old Scratch.
He's twenty, now, and bigger than my pap
But rough as Bill is he'll hardly 'buse q
woman, low
at is to be hoped that he has too much
self-respect, if not politeness, to do that"
Zeima had replied.
The second Monday of school zelma dis
covered many new faces at the school-house
as she came walking from her home.
Jake came out to meet her and yyhi i,pered
lowly: "Bill Warren's here, teacher"
Zelma was all curiosity to seq the uholv
terror, who could so fearfullv convulse the
people of Coyote Prairie
''That's him leanin' agin the side o. the
house" whispered Jake, s'and he's got his
shootn' tixin's along"
AS she approached the school house Zelma
gave swift glance Mt the tall, strongly
built bronze.faced fellow leaning carelessly
by the doorway, with one hand caressing
the muzzle of bright, new rifle. He was
quite handsome, she at once decided with
his flashing eyes so deeply blue as to be
easily mistaken for black. and his hair of the
hue of blackbird's wing He was dressed
i'm somewhat brigandish style and wore a
richly finished belt from which protruded
an ivory handled revolver. Zelma had never
seen ''holy terror before and the speci-
men by no means impressed her unfavora-
bly,.
For one week every thing moved along
without the least discord. Zelma seemed
to have ''got on the blind side o. thet thar
Bill Warren" Jacob Hadley told the neigh
bors.
All the pupils seemed to like their orettv
energot;c yo,,no, teocba,. ,vho ,.,Iod .,,or, H.,
4, ,,,;so oonh;,,n+;o,, IS 1,;nd,,aaa 60 ~
- ~ "
n1Sa ,ra
Ing oiS ooSS al saiu .liao shc was haru
10 peat' ana even rouSh Bin admitted that
SIG was toiefaoiy Ialrlsn IKE"
"How a We gittin erlong with thet thar
Zelma as she passed his house on her way
home after two weeks labor in the Coyote
Prairie school.
"Very nicely, indeed" )" she answered. 'He
takes to books readily, and so far, has been
real studious."
"He'll break out all of suddint some day
like one of our Western blizzards, now YOU
uns mind eff he DON'T" chimed in Jacobs
better half from the door. "He's got awful
nice, well edercated folks but they've lived
out hyar on Coyote Purary so long, Bills
got the upper hand of em, and he jest runs
wild, like an Injun, and his pap has no more
rulin over him than nothin'."
When Monday morning came Bill Warren
did not put in an appearance at school. A
little sister of his handed Zelma no te from
his father. 1t read:
miss ARcHER-1 write this to put YOU on
your guard. BILL am sorry to say, is beyond
my con.rol, nc aeciares that ne WIZ go to
~, ,a,, ,, a. aAu nus ,;a .i' .o 1reak
winter His mother and were IN mn h,ah has ,nas
that YOU had won him over to GOOD behavior r he
started in SO tayorably. But we are now in sad
despair.
"Yours regretfully,
"B. L. WARREN.