The Londonderry sifter. (South Londonderry, Vt.) 1883-19??, 1889-09-12
NAN.
Bang :!

suo"-oall "illhZeu through tne air,
and away over the fence sailed the Pro
fessor's hat, battered and dishonored.
A ripple of girlish laughter foated W
from some one behind him, and looking
around angrily, the Professor caught q
glimpse of a pair of dark, roguish eyes
peeping at him out of a pretty hood,
which did not hide the saucy face of the
maiden who had thrown the ball.
She watched the Professor as he
climbed over the fence and regained his
distigured tile, and tried, rather ruefully,
to smooth its battered sides; then she
scampered toward the school house.
Joel Sherwood had just emerged from
the university at W, with consider
able honor and the degree of good opin-
ion most men of his age entertain for
themselves. He really was entitled to a
great deal of credit for the courage and
steadfastness of purpose with which he
had toiled to make his way through the
tedious university course. He had done
it alone, and at the same time managed
to help his widowed mother in keeping
what had proved to be very guant and
persistent wolf from the door. But the
world, as is its custom, had been some
what slow in recognizing his genius; so
that when the winter term of school at
Weston was offered to him, he was only
too glad to accept it, hoping that mean
time something better would come to
him.
He picked up his hat, with some sense
of disgrace, and strobe on to the school
house.
1t was the eventful ''frst day." and
it must be confessed that Joel's heart for
minute sank very low as he saw the
roguish face disappear through the door
of the building which was to be his castle
for The next few months. He had dim
fereboding that trouble was in store for
him. But shortly his courage rallied
and with his lips closed little more
firmly than usual, he stepped to his desk
Nan, with many a girlish giggle, was
relating her adventure to circle of ad-
mirers.
"The idea of young fellow like him
bringing a tall hat down here! Ny!
how mad he looked when the thing went
over the fence! Well, it was rather
mean, after all; but Til never see hin
again. | don't know who he is. Some
city chap, l s'pose, down to look at the
natives,"
Just then the door opened and the
Professor walked in.
If Joel could have seen the glorious
crimson which swept Mans face, he might
have known how poorly priced was her
victory. But he was busy and had al
most forgotten the episode moment la
ter.
1t was brought back again, however,
when he CHANGED to glance at Nan. Once
more the flood of crimson dyed her
cheeks, but she buried her face in book
and waited until it had vanished.
i 4 i
That winter Joel Sherwood learned
many valuable lessons. 1t was good
school for him. He knew more about
himself when the term was over than he
ever had before. Heput away the silk
hat, and wondered why he ever should
have worn it down to Weston.
By this time he did not feel himself so
very much superior to the people there
as he had felt. They proved to be kind
hearted and intelligent, and he liked
them better the more he knew them.
He had found Nan disturbing ele-
ment in his little dominion. Not that
she meant to do anything wrong; but
she had too much mischief in her nature
not to be at the bottom of many pro-
ject which brought the new teacher into
disrepute. She never pretended that she
had no hand in these plots. There was
no deceit in Nan. Whatever she did
was SO frank that Joel's reproof was
tempered by strange feeling which
caused him to forgive the spirit which
prompted Mans action-a feeling he
knew not how to analyze.
Once, when she had perpetrated some
especially annoying trick on him, and he
had met her out of school hours on the
way home, her pretty smile and look of
respect had driven every spark of anger
from his heart, and he broke out:
"Oh, Mani Why will you
But she had pulled her hand out of his,
and fled before the words were out of his
mouth.
And Nan-she was the same thought
less girl, as far as Joel could see, as the
weeks sped quickly by and brought them
nearer the end of the term She led the
boys and girls in every game She could
outskate them; not boy dared to
challenge her to race on the ice for fear
of the defeat he knew would await him.
Her happy laugh rippled everywhere
Not boy but would have risked his
life for her. Not girl but fed to her
in time of trouble, for she was ever to
them a champion equal to every emer-
gency. To all she was simply ''Nann-
kind, loving, mirthful "Nan."
About the time Joel's school closed.