Abilene weekly reflector. [volume] (Abilene, Kan.) 1888-1935, 1888-06-14

4 Bfl's head dropped. His bronzed cheek:
crimsoned with bushes of real shsme. HI
was too utterly confused and nonplussed fol
the moment to offer resistance, even had he
felt the inclination, as Zelma bravely pos
sessed herself of his riie and pistol
NOW, sir, march TO the schooI-house al
once" was the military order which the
little schoolmistress gave to the holy
terror of Coyote prairie.
Bill started - obey, but suddenly halted
confronting her with changed countenance
An expression of intense resentment flashed
| into his eyes as he said:
I'm not a young one 70 be ruled over by &
flip of a Yankee girl, I'll give you to under
stand" and he Strengthened hirl1elf up like
a young giant. "Give me blcll my weapons"
and he took a hasty step towards her.
There was little click Of the pistol il
Zelma's hand, and he paused.
Thunder! you'd as lief shoot fellow "a
not, believe" he exclaimed; and he could
not help gazing, with some degree OF adj
| miration, at the spirited little teacher who
stood imperially before the huge truant
| leveling his own revolver at him.
You will not find it very safe to menace
me. 1 intend to be obeyed, and without
further trihing, too. Do you surrender
| w
girl.
The angry, sullen look gradually faded
| from his face, and for answer he turned
and walked toward the school-house, keep
| ing close by Zelma's side.
| No word was necessary to prove that the
encounter had resulted FOR him in a Water
loo; ne was vanquished. Had it been FEAST
| bic, Zelma might have banished him to St
| Halpna fOr all tina pa N
| have made.
The incrodulous stares of the scholars
with which they favored Zelma as she
marched in with her captive can be more
easily imagined than described.
She talked to MIN earnestly on the sin OF
| disooedience, but she did not lecture him
| long before the whole school. He humbly
stood with dropped head and listened 10
| Zelma's words, then. when she had finished,
the crushed, wOuld-be outlaw took his seat
and displayed assiduOus attention to his
books for the remainder OF the day.
That evening she dismissed them all ex-
cept Bill, whom she desired to remain.
Little Lola Warren hurried home with
wild eyes to tell the news At home.
you ought to saw Bill" she said ex-
| citedly to her parents. "Why, he looked
just as scared as could be when Miss Zeima
walked him in. And she's kept him in and
she's got his rife and pistol by her desk.
and just expect she'll nigh about wear Bill
out if he don't mind her"
''God grant that she may reform my way
ward boy" sighed Mrs. Warren. And Mr..
Warren echoed the prayerful hope.
As Zelma set BY the conquered terror
that evening, she implored him to consider
his parents, whose heads were bowed in
trouble over his wild ways; she appealed to
his sense of honor, she urged him kindly TO
think and develop the better nature and
manhood that she knew was in him.
When she ceased speaking to him, tears
stood in her lovely dark eyes, and, could it
be possible!-yeS, there were tears, also, in
the deep, blue eyes of Bill Warren. Zelma
had moved him as he had never been moved
before.
1--we been an ugly, big brute, Miss Zelma.
and l beg your pardon" he stammered, TAX
ing the hand which she offered him as a
sign that peace was restored between them.
You ought 70 shoot me down like 4 prai-
RE dog for the mean way I've acted. Nc
body ever talked TO NJ as if there was any
thing but meanness in me. But you, Miss
Zelma, make me see my ugly, rough self in
such light that l want to make change -
"And you can make a change for the bet
ter, VIII. if you will try. True. cvering
earneStneSS never yet failed, if it was on the
side of right" she replied.
'"rn begin at once to try. I'm resolved to
make man of myself or I'll ride over to
the Indian camp and pay some Arrapahoc
brave TO scalp me,'' he responded, and then
they parted for the night.
Bill was faithful 10 his word. He did try
to become man, AID the progress he made
furnished Co.ota Prairie with gossip enough
to last it lifetime. In school he applied
himself diligently to his studies, and his
naturally good mind readily grasped the
most knOtty subjects. No one was so tire
less as he in assisting Zelma to make the
school house comfortable for winter. while
his gentlemanly department was the wonder
of his schoolmates. But Bill Warren came
Of a tine family; he posse ssed the elements
of noble manhood, but had never developed
them; hence, his reformation was the more
rapid, the more noticeable
Il jes believe you-uns air a witch, Miss
Zelmy," Mrs HALEY said to her, one wet
evening that Zelma had come home with
the children from school. s'Nothin' short OF
a right big hunk o. witchcraft would a tuck
the ALFRED stiffenin' outcn tibet wild Bill
Warren as you-uns hev done"
Then Jacob laughed heartily, saying:
1T clean beats me outen my socks, ter
see how We, g small Yankee gal from back
East, hev the full ruin o thet holy terror
o. Coyote Purary as ye hey Why, he
skeered every man teacher plumb outan the
country WHO tried the school fore you-uns
But, great Scott, yOU-uls hey grit, Miss
Zelmy, an must take after tibet ole codger
of a relation o. you>n, thct yer pap tole
erbout hghtin' sOme'eics on them big lakes
near whar You folks used ter live. plumb
b'lieve il, sure" and the old frontiersman
gazed at Zelma Archer pridefully
One evening as Zelma was walking homo,
Bill Warren overlook her. He was riding
his spirited pony and leading beautiful let
black one, on whose back was an clecant
new side-saddle
Miss Zelma,'' he addressed her, 81 am
not up to making presentation speech, as
they do in the East. but you have expressed
a wish to own gentle pony; so please &C
cept this one as gift" --....
1T would not look well for me to accept
such a costly present." she replied. never
theless looking admiringiy at the black pony
with its proudly-arched neck.
But Bill insisted that his mother had had
the pony ''trigged up for her for a Christ
mas gift, and would feel very much hurt if
Zelma refused it. For they knew that Mr.
Archer had nothing but mules to ride, and
Mr.. Warren had great number of ponies
at his ranch, and the Warrens desired 10
crafty wish of the young teacher, whom
they esteemed 50 highly. This being the
case ZelIna accepted the beautiful present
with many thanks.
Winter sped rapidly away, and spring
scattered rare wild flowers prodigally over
Coyote Prairie. Summer was hurryin9 on;
h.,A Z,l-