Waterbury evening Democrat., 1888-06-06

evening. He sat down in front seat feeling unpleasantly ogerish.
 She was hearing the last spelling class. How pretty she looked standing there in her dark blue calico dress and white apron. What a sweet voice she had, though putting out then, men, pen," to lot of fdgeting youngsters could hardly show it to the best advantage.
 When the class was dismissed and the last small student had rushed whooping down the street, the teacher and the young director stood looking at each other with some awk- wardness.
 Il thought I'd come in," said Steve at last, apologetically, land see if anything is needed" aasa He did not mention the fact of his being some six weeks late in the performance of his duty.
 The girl dropped her eyes timidly.
 "I-don't think so," she murmured
 "What brute she must think me,n Steve reflected, with some self disgust.
 He turned carelessly to the corner where the broom stood
 Isn't this pretty far goneF' he said with conscience stricken glance at it's stubby end
 And the little teacher nodded.
 Your water pail seems to leak," the direc- tor went on, indicating the empty bucket and the wet floor.
 "Yes," the girl assented.
 "I'l see that you have new ones," Steve concluded.
 And he was rewarded by grateful glance from the teachers soft eyes, as she took her hat from it's nail.
 He took her lunch basket from her hand aa they started away together, and, having taken it, could hardly surrender it short of MT. Larkin's gate -
 He was little reluctant to surrender it even then. For their f1rst awkwardness had quite worn off; their walk had been far from unpleasant, and they were feeling very well acquainted. lie walked homo in an agreeable absorp- tion, repeating to himself the things she had said, and recalling her pretty way of saying them. .0 He did not pause to consider that it was old John Sanborn's daughter of whom he was thinking; he was only conscious that she was bright young girl, whom it was charm ing to look at and listen to.
 His pleasant mood was rudely interrupted by little MT. Larkin, who dropped in that evening.
 ''Lyme Doty couldn't have the school,n he 'observed, with chuckle, 'sbut it looks as though he was going to have the teacher!"
 What?' said Steve, with a sudden unex- plainable sinking of the heart.
 "He's hanging around considerable, any, how," said MT. Larkin. "Went to visit the school last week, and he was asking me to- day whether Molly's got any way of get ting home Friday night. He said he'd just as lief take her in his buggy as not. Molly generally walks; but guess she'll be glad of a lift"
 'You don't mean to tell me-" said Steve, warmly, "that she'd have anything to do with himg
 MT. Larkin stared. What could Steve care with whom old John Sanborn's daughter had to dos
 But he only said, deprecatingly:
 Well, Lyme's a good steady fellow"
 "Humph" was the scornful rejoinder.
 The young man unused long and seriously when his visitor was gone, and went to bed conclusion.
 When the new teacher closed school the next Friday night she was feeling rather worn out, as she was apt to feel at the end of the week; nor did the prospect of the four miles, walk home serve to cheer her. She locked the door and started down the path with a sigh.
 A neat little buggy was coming briskly up the road. Molly gave start as the driver pulled up the horse and sprang to the ground.
 1 4U WS1S Uu0 JOuuS u1TGCLOr, duu Q0 was COIL ing toward her.
 II won't make any excuses, Miss Sanford, J he said, with a humorous solemnity. "I won't say I'm going over the river on business, and happened to think you might like to ride. The truth is that it's carefully laid plot Will you be an alder and abettorq'
 The little teacher laughed appreciatively as he.helped her into the buggy.
 'I must stop at MT. Larkin's and leave my dinner pail," she said, demurely
 MT. Larkin was standing at the front gate He stood staring at the young director, as the latter assisted the teacher to the gronno and sat down on the horse block waiting fol , her. "Lyme Doty was here after Molly just now," he said gaspingly. 'I sent him dowr to the school house." "We met him." said Steve. ''You see," h, added, making @ bold attempt at careless
 ness, but speaking, nevertheless, in a shame
 faced way, and avoiding the little mans eye ''You see, 1 feel as though it's my boundel duty to keep Lyme Doty away from her
 Pure impudence, his hanging around her tha , way"
 The little teacher came tripping back, ant
 the young directors buggy whirled away il . cloud of dust. "steve Tenney's taking Molly home in hi l buggy" said MT. Larkin, joining his wife il the kitchen and sinking dazedly into a chair !, 'I guess the worlds coming to an end!" "Steve Penney ain't fool," his wife re ; sponded practically. II knew he'd get owe : that ridiculous notion of his-and especiall '- after he'd seen Molly" ''Says he's doing it from a sense of duty,
 said Larkin, chuckling slowly as the humo T of the situation dawned upon him. 'Wor s s der how far his sense of duty will talk himr
 ''I shouldn't be surprised at anythingl said Mrs. Larkin mysteriously. ,. The Larkins-and, perhaps, Lyme Doty- s were the only people who were not surprise
 when the now teacher gave up the school 6 70 the end of the term and was quietly marie \, \, to the young director. u The chairman of the school board is wo1 dering over it yet.-Hartford Daily Times -, An Expensive Present.
 First Pretty Creature Yesterday was m r.. birthday, dear, and my Charlie gave me
 string of such beautiful pearls--one for ever ,e year.
 n Second Ditto twho has failed to secul m Charlie)-How sweet, dearest. What an e. f pensive present-such long string dear + v Fun.