The Bossier banner., 1890-01-30


there was map of the United States on
the wall which, had it been studied by
the scholars, would have misled them as
to the number of territories.
However, most of the babies were still
IN their A. B, Cs, or words of one svlla-
bic; and Laura hoped to influence the
economical board to greater generosity
In time. She had suffered so much that
she could not expect happiness until
time had come to her aid, and rude sur
roundlngs or inelegant appointments
made little matter. The children were
good enough; the little girls caressing.
Flowers and big apples were on her desk
every morning. Little mouths were
lifted to her own in goodbye kisses.
ANY boy of them all was ready to do
escort duty; but the wood-path, though
long and lonely, only delighted her; and
Mrs. Cliff was kind and motherly. On
the whole, her lines had. not fallen in
unpleasant places.
For month after Laura Penn began
to teach the school the weather was
clear and bright, as September often is;
Dut with October came Monday with a
great storm. The roads were sodden,
the trees dripped; people kept their lit
tie girls at home. The boys came
splashing in under waterproof coats, and
with rubber boots to their knees, and
boasted of their bravery; and 'sthe
teacher" lighted little fire in the big
wood stove that they might dry them
selves. That was fun for all. Mean
while, not to lose time, she set the m
saying the multiplication table.
Suddenly a big voice Joined in the
chorus-'Twice ten are twenty; twice
eleven are twenty-five; twice twelve are
twenty-four;" and turning with start,
Laura saw figure, soaked in mud-mud
on its hair, mud on its nose, mud to it's
understanding in the door. A tramp,
certainly. She had heard such dreadful
things of tramps that she turned pale.
Still, in such rain she could have
bolted the door in his face, if it had
been in her power.
"a fireF' said the tramp, advancing. 'sI
expected nothing as good as that May
l come nearer, or am too muddy?"
Bring a chair, Johnny" said the
teacher. ''It is dreadful weather. He
must have been sleeping out of DOORS"
she said to herself.
The tramp confirmed her suspicious
by remarking, as he took the chair:
''This IS weather, and I've been in the
woods all night. presume need wash
ing the worst way"
THE teacher" saw an opportunity for
efforts in the sanitary line
Johnny" she said, ''show the young
man where the wash basin and water
bucket are, and you may give him a
clean towel from the shelf"
Johnny obeyed. He led the way; the
tramp followed him, and returned much
improved in ppearance-quite clean, in
fact-having been, as he said, "broomed
down" by the useful Johnny.
He was steaming beautifully shortly,
and continued to join in the exercises of
the school, adding wood to the fire oc-
casionally, until noon-time came. AS
yet he had done nothing desperate, but,
as he eyed the cans and baskets, he re-
marked:
81 wish had my lunch with me,
assure you. missed my supper and
had no breakfast. I am conscious of a
''Now, perhaps" thought Laura, ''the
time has come"
She flew to her desk.
81 have some lunch here" she said,
offering a napkin filled by good Mrs.
Cliff with short-cake. cheese and mince
pie, and bottle of milk.
The tramp looked at it.
''The spirit is unwilling, he said, shut
the flesh is weak. I'll take half"
And accordingly Laura made fair
division, thinking that this was very
amiable tramp, indeed, intended for bet
ter things. Indeed, he was handsome
even in the case of dry mud he wore
She wished she were of the order Of
people who can give advice gratis. She
wanted to reform him. But she could
not bring herself to preaching. Only
when he arose to leave, the rain falling
no longer in torrents, but having SUBJ
sided into drizzle, she went to the door
with him.
"Take this little path,'' she said. s'It
will lead you straight to the village. I
am sure you must be tired of such hard
ships as you experienced last night; and
If you will go to the parsonage, Mr.. Par
Ion will put you in the way of-of-find-
ing your way into better path" And
then she slipped twenty-five cents into
MS hand.
He looked at her euriously.
''You are very kind" he said, ST
hope you will never need half of any
oody's luncheon"
He was gone. His voice trembled,
she was sure; but later she heard some
body laughing at distance. 1t could
not have been that tramp.
She went home when school was over
and told the tale to Mrs. Cliff.
"a tramp!' cried that good woman.
Its mercy you are alive. They've
got the souls of gorillas, and expect if
you hadn't had so many boys about you,
you'd not be here to tell of it. This
region isn't often tramped, either. It's
off the track. I hope there's no more
n the woods"
Miss Penn sat down to her supper.
Half luncheon had left her hungry,
put while she ate the pork and beans
With will there came a knock at the