The Bennington banner. [volume] (Bennington, Vt.) 1858-1894, 1888-06-14


director went on, indicating the empty
bucket and the wet floor.
Yes the girl assented,
I'll 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 its nail.
He took her lunch basket from her
hand as they started away together, and
having taken it, could hardly surren-
der it short of Mr.. Larkins gate.
He was little reluctant to surrender
it even then. For their first awkward
ness had quite worn off; their walk had
been far from unpleasant, and they were
feeling very well acquainted.
He walked home in an agreeable alb
sorption, repeating to himself the things
she had said, and recalling her pretty
way of saying them.
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 charming to look at
and listen to.
His pleasant mood was rudely inter
rupted by little Mr.. Larkin, who dropped
in that evening.
Lyme Doty couldn't have the school, ,
he observed with chuckle, but it looks
as if he was going to have the teacherr
'WhatT said Steve, with a sudden un.
explainable sinking of the heart,
He's hanging around considerable,
anyhow said Mr.. Larkin. Went to
visit the school last week, and he was
asking me to-day whether Molly's got
any way of getting home Friday night.
He said he'd just as lief take her in his
buggy as not. Molly generally walks,
but she'll be glad of lift
You don't mean TO tell me- said
Steve, warmly, that she'd have any
thing to do with himT
Mr.. Larkin stared. What could Steve
care with whom Old John Sanborn's
daughter had to do?
But he only said, deprecatingly:
We'll, Lyme's good steady fellow
'Humphr was the scornful rejoinder
The young man unused long and Sc
riously when his visitor was gone, and
went to bod with lighter hoart, having
come to firm conclusion.
When the new teacher closed the
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 sigh.
A neat little buggy was coming brisk
ly up the road. Molly gave a start as
the driver pulled up the horse and
sprang to the ground,
L won't make any excuses, Miss San
born, he said with a humorous solem-
nifty. 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 a carefully laid plot. VIII you
be an alder and abettorY
The little teacher laughed apprecia.
lively as he helped her into the buggy.
Il must stop at Mr.. Larkin's and leave
my dinner pail, she said demurely.
Mr.. Larkin was standing at the front
gate. He stood staring at the young di
rector as the latter assisted the teacher
to the ground and sat down on the horse
block waiting for her.
Lyme Doty was here after Molly just
now he said gaspingly. Il sent him
down to the schoUlhouse.'
we met him, said Steve, You see,
he added, making bold attempt at
carelessness, but speaking, nevertheless,
in shamefaced way and avoiding the
little mans eye-'you sec, feel as
though it's my bounden duty to keep
Lyme Doty away from her. Pure i'm
pudence, his hanging around her that
way
The little teacher came tripping back,
and the young directors buggy whirled
away in a cloud of dust.
Steve Tenney's taking Molly home in
his buggy said Mr.. Larkin, joining his
wife IN the kitchen and sinking dazedly
into a chair Il guess the worlds com
ing to an endn
Steve Tenney amt fool his wife
responded, practically. L knew he'd
get over that ridiculous notion of his
and especially after he'd seen Molly
Says he's dong it from a sense of
duty said Larkin, chuckling slowly as
the humor of the situation dawned upon
him. Wonder how far his sense of
duty will take himP
1 shouldn't be surprised at anything,
said Mrs. Larkin mysterIously.
The Larkins-and perhaps Lyme Doty
were the only people who were not
surprised when the new teacher gave
up the school at the end of the term and
was quietly married to the young direc-
tor.
The chairman of the school board is
wondering over it yeti Hartford Daily
Times.