Western liberal. (Lordsburg, N.M.) 1887-1919, 1889-10-04

1850 w. &A E"NNNAANN ~
gentleneas tho master bore with all her
freaks. and although soreiy tried he en-.
deavored BY gentle, winning kindness.
to bring her 10 see the great wrong she
was doing herself and him But Il was
Of no avail. the more he tried the more
he might try. and the dancing brown
eyes shot forth angry sparks as at last he
passed her most daring pranks by in alb
solute silence
However, the crisis came at last. At
the noon recess one Of the oldest scholars,
n youth Of 10, had tried to steal her hand
kerchief in fun; Il was a dainty affair,
made Of lace and muslin, a present from
her cousin in the city. Faith had reso-
lutely declined all such advances, but in
the afternoon she reached across the
aisle and laid Il upon the open leaves Of
the book where he was studying. With
a graceful bow he acknowledged the
gift. and'raised II to his lips, when loi q
tiny dead mouse dropped from its folds.
and u universal giggle ran through the
room In desperation the master called
them to order. and there was a sharp
ring. a. Of pain. In the grave, item tones
which snid. Faith Grey can sop after
school tonight That Wa IN. and
without casting q lOok b thO direction
Of the young girl. the buainess Of the DAY
went on ~ usual. bat each and all under.
stood thas trihing was AZ an end, and
even Faith'S rosy checks pnbod a little a.
che glanced shyH at the Stern. quiet
Haca
Il had boon q hagd day for the young
master. and Il WA no wonder II his pa
uenco was exhausted. In the morning
Ono Of his largest scholars, a half witted
Frenchman. had entered late and I'M
mediately commenced to laugh, and all
the information that could be elected
from him was that ne guessed 1.-THE two
year-Old would get fun by and by" and
again his fat sides would shake with
laughter. he was q great, Overgrown
fellow Of sixteen, who worked for his
board ut a farm about n mile from school,
and at noon his employer presented him
self at the schoolhouse, and in loud, an
CRY tones ordered him never to darken
his doors again.
II appeared that the spring where the
cattle had been In the habit Of drinking
was formed by lowering a barrel into
tho ground, and all around It was very
slippery with ice. and as the clown had
driven them to drink. the '~'two-year-old~
had slipped and fallen in head first, and
being unable to get out alone, the French
man had left It to ''gct full" while he
went to school When found by the
farmer the animal was drowned. Al
though tho schoOlmaster could not blame
tho farmer for his indignation, yet the
circumstance annoyed him exceedingly:
and II n might be allowed to Judge by
the look Of determination on his white,
stern face, Faith was likely to feel the
full force Of his authority, and even her
stout heart quailed n little as the shadows
heightened and the day drew near itf
close.
The last lesson had been recited, the
last class had stood up to spell; the even
ing hymn had been sung, and at last
school had closed, the scholars filing out
of the house in good order and with q
strange quietness and dispatch, wrap
ping about them their shawls, hoods and
comforters, Faith, with the roses all
gone from her dimpled cheeks, was sit
Sth6 AT AGi hCnht NlAb6 dliu Bull TOT a
few moments, which seemed like an eter.
nifty to her. the master sat at his desk
with head bowed upon his hands. The
short winters day was drawing to n
close, and one solitary sunbeam, red as
blood. streamed through the window and
lay across the desk exactly in front of
her, and to the day of her death Faith
will carry a vivid inward picture Of that
little schoolroom, for every article which
it contained was indelibly impressed
upon her mind in those few moments.
At last the master raised his head and
in low tones said;
Miss Faith, you may come here"
At the sound of his voice the blood
rushed back to the cheek which had been
so pale but n moment ago, and her cour.
age revived. She arose and with firm
step walked across the room and stood
before him. and as their eyes met she re.
turned his gaze u~niinchingly. His was
a sad, beseeching look, as though he
would sirge her to beg his forgiveness.
Hers was a mixture of fun and anger
combined, but certainly they showed nc
signs of sorrow. As he arose to his feet
III uu6O iOiin uOWcIeu AlhS u BtduJ ABOVE
her, and reaching over his desk he grasp.
cd his ferule.
"Hold out your handT"
Aud more in sorrow than In anger he
looked to see If his command was obeyed.
Tho words we're jerked forth as though
they caused the speaker untold pain.
Faith obeyed, although the white lids
covered the brown eyes and the long
eyelashes swept over cheeks as white as
tho snow outside. She had never re-
ceived a blow in her life, and she shivered
as the tips Of her slender fingers were
firmly grasped, and one short, sharp,
singing blow descended upon the white
palm, leaving a crimson mark that curl
ously reminded her OF the blood red sun
beam as It lay across the desk. The ferule
was raised for another blow when again
their eyes met, but from the brown one
the anger was gone, and they were full
of tears and mute pleadings, and with a
dull thud the ferule dropped to the floor,
and tho girl wa ciasped 70 his heart ina
wild, passionate embrace.
In after years, when she was the loved
and honored wife Of the statesman who
began his career as a district school