Alpena weekly argus. [volume] (Alpena, Mich.) 1871-1893, 1889-01-30


said. Aside, TO Mr.. Slast, l added:
IF you wish to speak to me, kindly
take chair for few moments. When
the children are gone shall be at lib
erty.n
With an oath, uttered under his
breath, the fellow sat down, and / pro-
ceeded to dismiss the school.
When thought all were gone took
my own hat and wrap and commenced
10 move toward the door.
"Well!' came in that rude and sulky
voice from Slatt. ''Are you going with
me, or amt youp"
"Mr. Slatt," | replied, with as steady
a voice as my failing courage would
permit, ''do you think for a moment
that any lady would accept such an in
vitation as you have accorded mep No,
sir. Good afternoon"
We were then at the school-house en-
trance, and, i stepped forward to pass
to the road, Slatt planted himself just
outside the doorway and, taking my
arm with IA strong grip, shook me
roughly. BY this time he was in a ter
rible passion, and it was in disjointed
sentences that he shouted;
"Ah! I'm not gentleman enough for
you-you with your city style and no
tions-you would prefer not to see me
don't want to speak to me, ehP But
you shall see me-you shall speak TO
me--you shall"
But as he bent forward evidently in
tending by sheer force 10 kiss me, a fist
came between my face and his; half
stunned by telling blow between the
eyes, Job Slatt lay helpless upon tho
ground.
Turning quickly 10 note my deliverer,
beheld-Zeke Ruggles! And al
though, during all the months 1 had
been teaching school Ihad looked upon
him as a boy-as poor country lad
IMMERSED in the ways, the ideas and the
passions of the world saw then, in
an instant, what no true woman could
have failed to perceive, that Zeke was
older than his years, that he was man,
with all the feelings, instincts and pas
step the bounds OF womanly modesty
when / say that | then knew, just as
well as though he had declared 1t in 80
many words, that Ruggles was not
meyely prompted to assist me by an
ordinary sense Of chivalry, which might
have led him to interfere in behalf Of
any woman prosecuted by brutal
man. He was influenced by double
passion for, as in one instant his eyes
CLEANED with deep and dangerous
hatred Of Slatt, the next they were
lighted with tenderness which l, with
my woman's instinct, fully compre-
hended could possess only one meaning
for him and for me- And in that in
slant ] felt sorry.
The next moment heard Zeke
speaking:
'He is not seriously hurt Miss
Brooks. You go home as quickly as
you can, and, though 1t is more than he
deserves, l will stay and see him safely
in his carriage"
So left them. What passed between
those two l never learned; only | do
know that during the two or three
weeks that ] remained at Grasshopper
Corners j was never again annoyed by
so much rs a word from Job Slatt.
1t was two days after my adventure
at the school-house, and a Sunday even
ing, when Ruggles came up to the
house where boarded. He was not
frequent caller, but on few occasions
played on the old-fashioned piano for
his amusement. He always asked me
to do so, and invariably complied,
much as / would have done for any OF
my scholars. But in all my acquaint-
ance, II seems to me, / never failed TO
treat him as a boy, forgetting that Zeke
Ruggles was very nearly rs old as my
self, and that had passed my twentieth
birthday. Perhaps it was our relative
positions In the school which blinded
me; but ] certainly ought TO have
known, what was really the fact, that
Ruggles was much older and far more
thoughtful than most lads of his years
An hour or two passed as usual, and
my visitor made no reference to what
must have been uppermost in the
thoughts of both Of us-I mean his in
reference in my behalf on the previous
Friday. At last he arose to take his
leave.
1t was quite early, so early that the
light Of sweet and fresh June evening
had not yet quite given way to dark
ness. 1t was so fair and pleasant that
I sauntered down the long garden path
way to the gate. There Ruggles stop
ped; the red glow Of an unusually fine
sunset lighting up his face, which, until
that memorable moment two days be-
fore, had appeared so plain and ordi-
nary to my eyes.
miss Brooks" he said, 81 nm half
sorry that was Of some service to you
the other evening. Not that, either"
he stammered, as blush suffused his
face. "Of course am glad to have
been OF ever 80 little use, but / am
sorry the necessity arose. You see,
am afraid yon will think wish TO take
advantage OF that. But 1t is not So
You are going away soon, and perhaps
will never come back TO the Corners.
Well, ] can not let you go without tell
ing you this-I love you. All, Miss
Brooks, don't, please don't be angry. |
know very well that am only poor,
stupid country boy-homely and lame
into the bargain. I don't ask you for
any thing in return, and don't expect
it. You will go away and be admired
and loved, perhaps, by handsome and
clever men in the city-and you will
seldom think OF the Corners and your
old scholars. Yet / could like you
sometimes to remember that /, Zeke,
love YOU"
1t all seemed like strange, quaint
dream. Long minutes passed by, dur.