Daily Republican., 1888-02-11
a PRAurIoAL JOKE;
Loves Devious Ways.

Poor Old Bsrleycort /" exclaimed
Leila wharton TO her friend Alice For.
tos que, rs they looked aososs the aohonl
room Mt their French teacher, Miss
Barley, who had fallen asleep on her
desk. l wonder ~ she 10 dreaming
Abost her old loVe'2'
"NOnsensei' exclaimed her FIJI nd
II don't bslisve The poor thing ever
had any"
"on, y go, shs did, and his name was
J ohm Bates, aud he went away and
never came back TO his nag lost love !"
With = gisRle.
"Well, she's mean Old thing any
way" ssid Miss FortesQ1e, who had
been Iet Asa disRarseable tack by Miss
Barley. II have an idea how We can
get 70 lare With her"
They put their keads together and
|evolvei Q scheme we shall know more
about later oa.
That niRhs Miss Barley had a note
handed to her by \ ragged little boy
wbioh read:
"In the Old place q, ths Chapel Pond
at tonight. John BGtss has return.
cd. !"
Gould she believe her eyos7 WASH
indeed true that the old love story
broken off seven years ago was TO be
resumeo2 She lost no timeil repair
ipg TO the place me- toned, and half
the girls OF the seminary warred Of the
affair were aware of the allsRed ioke
when Miss Barley slipped out OF the
GLASS room that evening with 4 suSplo
Inns bl lush on her face.
01ly the other TEACHERS RossipinR
around the hre, aud Mime. Appleton
herself. writing let'ra iu her own
sanctum, remained in ignorance O!
what Was going on.
Little Louise Bolvlllo started to her
feet.
"Glrls." she oried, ''irs too bAf /
It's crue'-Ihats what itii II shall
not go oul III ran after her and tall
Ter the whole thipR is . decei. r.
Bat Il lila Wharton pulled her back
as she was eprinRing TO opeu the door
"IL's too lata," Eald she. "You
couldn't overiske her new. And It's
such q splendid jokel Just wait until
you zee the expression on her faos
when Bhe comss back. We shall be
aver Ged Tor all Of Barley oorn'S vicious
ness noVl
Slowly the tlms-tarnishs1 minute.
hand OF the venerable clock travelled
Around the dial Nine O'Clock cAmc.-
half past n'ne-ten. Sill 10 Miss Bar.
ley returned.
The Royerness on duty for that par
houlAr evening, one Miss PuSSlsy,
with eyes thst looked different ways,
Ioss mp vita yAwn at last
"fime Tor evening pray ers and bed,
giIls," said she.
"oh, not YETI pleaded the girls with
one accord.
And each rad some speri NJ reason to
give for desiring hSe minutes more
delay.
Iva past honrU SlreAdy," said Miss
PuRsley, "and''--
Just then the door opened Miss Bar
ley came In.
But instead OF n pale. dIsoom a led
face, she wore most radiant aspect.
Her eyes Rparklei, her checks we o
crimsoned With an unusual glow. She
vent up to Mss Pagsley (who was q
good soul, though not fair to look
upou). and Alice Fortesoue could hear
her say In low tJnes:
Dear Harriet. congratulate me. Ny
lover has come back, aad we are 10 be
mRrrloi next week have .ust teen
him down by ChApsl Pond, I'll tell
yon all about 1t by and by N going
In to sec Madame now"
Like wildhra the news fpread
through the room. The giIls looked
blAukl- at eaok other.
"tt can't be pesslb.ef" cried Leila
Wharton.
~ ONLY kuoW what heard her say"
declared Alice looking half frightened.
~ am 80 glAdr' Exclaimed Louise
Bslville, Joy ously clappiug her hAnds-
"oh, 80 x al I"
While in MAdAms's little sanctum
Ruth Barley was telling the worthy
preceptress how John Bates had tray
elled half round the world--Eow be
had been prisoner In ths heart of Al
rioA for m0nths-Aow at last he had %
tablished 1 nse.f In 10 I'd business In
South America, aud had hnAlly come
back to claim the promise Ruth had
given him long ago.
He has written sgsin sn ! again, !"
she said, "and hs cAn't understand how
1t 10 that he never Eoi ANY ans wer. Butl
react ei mt7"
Madame kissed the flttsrinR little
governess In her slow, stately way.
~ fear, | congratulate you," said
she. "of couuse, deep y as l regret
losing o good teacher. 1 shall not obj sct
to oancelling your eRgar. .--snt with me,
under the oiroumstAnstti"
And she smiled aud nodded and
looked pretern AturAlly wise.
"aow did 1t happ1n?" said John
Bates.
"Why. In the most RsturAl way 10
the ord / came in on tho evening
stage, and when got to ths little stone
stile and tle footpAth that led down to
tie old spot. told the driver to leave
my tr Aps at the hotel and I'd take the
th1rt cut through the woOds, seeing that |
IL wAs such Are night and the moon |
ut full. just an excuse, you know, T.
look ut the remembered haunt. Az II
stood there, thinking OF the happy olo |
timer, wh1 should come right into the
moonlight but Ihe woman have mover
ceased to love-" aud he olAsped her In
his arms while Ruth vept tears Of Joy.
What had been Intended As . Joke
turned out delicious rea lily.