The Opelousas courier., 1891-12-05
CLARlSSA'S LECTURE.
BY AMY

peated Jessie Jermyn. "What a funny
name! And how strange it seems {.
have our Clicks name printed up in big,
tat black letters at the Lyceum door,
with Abundance fifty cents under it.
Well, she always said she was deter
mined to make herself a career and il
seems she has succeeded. | wonder
bow much she gets a night I only have
twenty dollars a month for drudeing
away, six hours a day, at that miserable
district school in Turtle Valley. And
then think of the delights of having
ones name in the newspaper, and being
referred to as 'our distinguished towns.
woman!' 7"
Jessie stood as if transixed before the
big double doors of the Turtle Valley
Lyceum, her eyes wide open as two blue
moons, her rosy lips apart. Harry Jer-,
myn, towering at least ten inches above
her head, also took note of the legends
inscribed on the bulletin board in alter.
nate red and black lines, with a full
complement of exclamation points.
81 wonder how she does it2"' said he.
81 suppose it's very simple" observed
Jessie.
"Not so simple as you suppose" said
the young farmer. II know that time
] rose to address the Agricultural Club,
/ felt exactly like a wooden dummy.
All my points had gone out of my head.
and ! couldn't think of a mortal word to
say. And Click is such a gentle, soft
voiced little thing"
Clarlssa Conrthope-Jessie Jermyn's
Cousin Click-had left her uncie's
kindly roof at the age of eighteen, de-
termined to make a name and a ~liyeli-
hood for herself. She had stumbled by
accident, as it were, into the occurring
arena. She had enlisted as stcom-
panion" to a strong minded woman, who
addressed her sister women from the
rostrum, and on one occasion, in a soil
tary little mountain village, when Miss
.ackleton had unexpectedly succumbed
an attack of hoarseness and influenza, |
had valiantly studied up her
notes and addressed the assembled audi.
snce in her stead.
She was so successful that thencefor.
she had decided on the sword
.herewith she would open the worlds
oyster, and she had achieved the fruit1on
Of her hopes.
Uncle and Aunt Jermyn marveled at
1er success. Harry shrugged his Shout
and observed that he never had
imposed SO stroag -midded a bird could
ave been nurtured in the old farm nest.
Iessle sighed deeply as she contrasted
Ter W slender earnings with the prices
commanded by the young lecturer; and
bis was Clicks first return to fhe home
T her girlhood. She had been an ugly
Iuckilng IN those days-a peg which
eemed to fit neither in the square holes
or the round ones-only tour Click
ne was famous now, and all the rural
Torld was crowding to see aud hear her.
81 could write a lecture, I'm sure,n
nd Jessie, half admiringly, half resent
lilly.
$50 could 1" said Harry.
"Let's try" proposed Jessie.
Nonsense" said her brother.
But the idea fingered in his brain for
that. Click laughed merrily at the
sncy.
aAnybody could write it, = said she.
Tim not so altogether sartin o. that, y
I'D the old farmer, patting his niecel
nooth, seai-brown head, covered with
asses Of shining braids.
Click was not pretty, but she had soft.
eadlng eyes of the deeper wine brown.
good healthy color and teeth winter
new milk. Her dress, of plain.
ack silk, fitted her like a glove, and
g narrow frlll of lace she wore at
roat and wrists was Of the finest val.
%ciennes, and fastened with q dead gold
i. /
ssShe looks a lady all over said Mrs. ]
rmyn, proudly. /
4'She is q lady" pronounced the farm
Some o natures turning OUT !
Listen, Click" said merry Jessie, !
We written a lecture. DO you want to
or it2n
I'm all curiosity, " declared Jilck.
And Jessie read tia heterogeneous i
BOG q TACT and fancy, fun and senti. :
,nt. !
How would that do for al au- !
meet" cried the little school-teacher. :
a~aciously. :
Il am sure they would be amused, y /
d smiling Click.
And Harry has written one. too.n !.
sisted Jessie. "Where is it, Harry3 !
regular buriesque-all about love and !
inconsistencies. You see there il !
hing to prevent two preaching on that
On, it's capital" /
Nonsense" said Harry, reddeninr. !
lon't chatter, Jessiels 4
But it really IS SO funnyi Come-1ve
Click hear mine; its only fair that d
! should follow suit. Give Ii to ME. D
let me read It to Clickin coaxed T
sie.
5ut Harry rose and went out OF the 7
p he thought the joke,if Joke 1t was. !.
been carried far enough.
The next day was the day Of the Lv-
lecture. All the Jermyn familv Y Y
y 20 drive into the village to witness !,
oratorical triumph Of their little girl. I.
!. Jermgn had arranged for d cold \
served an hour earlier than usual.
bat she and Grandma Jermvn might +
9 time 70 dress, The house WAS to 81
H