The aegis & intelligencer. [volume] (Bel Air, Md.) 1864-1923, 1889-04-12
rllancnus.
HOW HE TOLD HER.
by EMMA A, OPHER,

ny EMMA A. OPHER.
"She'll have to GO amt no way out o
that. She'll have to skip" said Dave Kin
ney. He squinted in cross eyed manner at
the cracker crumb on his tawny, scrapgy
beard, and transferred it carefully to his
mouth. There was a wedge of cheese on his
left knee. When the Fence Corners School
Board, originally Fennett's Corners, but thus
APPLY abbreviated, held meeting, it was, by
general agreement, in old Hanks grocery,
where crackers and cheese, and mayhap a
herring, might relieve it's tedium. But to.
night there was au alternating interest.
"About the size of it," said Silas Saunders.
lie preferred tobacco, and rolled a quid under
his tongue. "This amt no place fer her
here. wy, wouldn't answer fer the conse-
quences if she staid there amt no telin'
what might happen, ner what cussedness
them boys might be up to. Look at COrny
ROurke, six foot two cr three it hcs an inch,
and chuck full, chuck full. He's always ben
tie one to put the teachers out, AMI there
ain no doubt but what it's his idce this
time. Barricadin' the school house right ont
bold first day ~ school now, who but Corny'd
n thought o thaR"
There was something of contempla,ive I'D
miration in his tone.
Coin to be done, whUever's doin' it ;" said
Kinney exploring his crAckclbag. Coin to
git in ut eight o'clock tomorrow mornn' an
Shut up the door and fasten the windows, and
any teacher that gifts in II have To git in
through Ihe key-hole er crack; what they
said"
ne ma '"'u II nolore' nv hm' c"l,e" r,le
meeting i"r me purpose % 'tl''hs IL. but
II was interesting 10 aweIl upon
HERE was an impressive silence.
nj eel n ri hpr
gu re J's' the one 10 Il" u, ihorhton-eh'
saunders observed 10 'ne tlliru lhelhner Oh we
bo"ru' lie WINS himself uneasy one GOV
along 'us'-r%,e' summer tcrm' nc ADDED
lie appeared u" ieei vague ma lthpotent re-
gfet, Neeas 'le money, should JeuSe'
she heedh 'hHue no cnlcI,"'iohs 10 teacm
no winter term hGie-n"' 10 renee corner,
h'h"ry ic%p"n"eu' ""n s,'iie coh'eui'' IL
therr amt DC n u winter Ter hVe years out
WHAT ihere We rumpus, ana gehei ~
schooi smut up, wy, she heeah " looked
Ter theic golh 10 oe.
~ WAS unhs"er"o'e, out the s'orekeeper
entered weak suggestion over his mo''ey
counter
u should thlhH 'h"t sanE ought 10 ne
pr0Ee up, ne SAID
lie tApect'u NO. I'Johucr' anu RoI none.
The school boards attention was centred
hecKon your re the one 10 holify her,
THORNTON, s",d Saunders, again.
he wfisg'cu unquietIy ON ms stool.
thornton sat motionless. Whether IN TACT
UT ny uteh VI 'he i,i-putHI"S ithiP on 'he
counter, MS soou,'ooklhg lace win lts
neaVy light mus'ache' appeared pale lie
SIT with his arms crossed on his Knees ana
his eyes ON inc moor s'leh''
jest so, SAID Kinney, win an air OF I'M
partlai decision gu can get u on Deter
n Saunders or me, lhnlhl"h You're a bet
ter l"okih man, my way anu you're better
r rae n,on up, he concluded VIII" a po''e
They made an attempt ut IL careless dis
missaI OF the subject, Kinney got up and
threw his chces, -rind INTO thestuve. Thorn
ton passed his hand over his mouth and
swallowed hard.
You can jest put 1t easy, said kenney,
encouragingly. lnu can Tell her Jest how
lis, and how it's fer her own good, and amt
To he put OIL ner avoided. You can tell her
shes done flrst-class. summer term. wy,
you can tell her jest What you're anime to,
cried kenney, magnanimously.
Their colleague rose. He was tall and
powerful young fellow, bnt There WAS an odd
laxity in his movements now ms he went TO-
ward the door. Heheld his hat.brim TO his lips,
tOo, anu tuIHcu MS lhCe h""y IIoH 'nc llsht,
Hanks stared after him till the door closed.
81 s'pOse you've found GU, that Jim Thorn
toms about the bashfulest Teller in town
han't your" he quericd.
There was no response.
And you've prob'ly suspicion,d, same as
other folks, that he's kind o sweet ON the
schoolma am, er would be II he dnst?" pur-
sued the storckeeper.
The school board was silent.
"Wal," he concluded, with grin, half of
disgust, half of admiration, you couldn't n
hired me to ben that mean TO Il yeller dog
not to ayeller dog
Thornton made his way up the road
through warm and lightly falling early snow
that whitened and softcned and bcau,ficd il,
dark ms 1t was from the nfrcquency OF build
ings and hubby with tho frozen mud. He
forgot to pull his hat on I'LL he met a man in
a wagon, who stared at him. His face and
hair were damp with melted flakes. lie went
slowly almost creepingly, for there was in
his heart n terrible, sinking dread of what lie
must do. 1t was almost more than he could
master.
Where was she? Bissel's; he knew she
boarded at Bisscl's, and it was NOT far; he