The Helena independent. [volume] (Helena, Mont.) 1875-1943, 1891-10-24

it down ON the desk. The teacher came
and stood beside her, and asked her what
the matter was, Jane only shook her head,
and wept.
ing low over her.
"No ma'am," sobbed Jane. She would
not say another word, and the teacher went
back to her desk. and called a class. She
| was a pretty little woman with black hair
arranged in cunning little scallops all
around her --mples. She kept looking at
James bent lad, and shaking pink shout
ders. "Jane,'' she said presently. in a clear
authoritative voice, you may go out and
get a pail of water"
The teacher meant it very kindly, it was
considered quite a privilege to get a pail of
water, and then pass it around in q tin
dippsr, she thought it would serve to dis
ever it might be-. But it was dreadful for
poor Jane to pull herself up to her full
height, and crawl slowly down the aisle,
with her arms crooked in n pink ring
around her face, and all the school looking:
She stumbled over a protruding nail, and
everybody Uttered, and the teacher called
out, "Hush!" sharply.
Jane went out with the water-pail, but
instead of filling it by the pump near the
school house abe set it down on the plat
form, and fled desperately down the road
to a little bridge over a brook. She ran
around the corner under the bridge. and
cravled into some bushes on the bank OF
the brook. Her mind was made ur, she
would not 60 back to school, she had never
been as miserable in her life, and the mis-
cry was all the greater because she was
ashamed of it and ashamed to confess it.
She did not want to tell even her mother
that she minded SO much because she was
tall, she crouched low dow in the bushes
md wept. She was almost concealed by
coarse weed and foliage Of late summer.
Some little flowers like orange butterflies
danced in her face. Presently she heard
a quick patter Of bare feet On the bridge,
then a break in the bushes.
made no sound. !.
"Ho, you needn't play you amt there"
said the voice. II see you come in here, ]
was looking out of the window. l raised
my hand when teaoher esked where you
was, and she sent me out to fetch the water
and tell you to come in.
Jane looked up and saw a boys face peer
ing down at her from the top of the bank,
his brown cheeks flushing, bis red lips part
ing in a bkshful laugh.
III amt ever going back to school, Rob
bic" said Jane, with a sob. All the old
childish comradeship seemed to'come bach
to her, she had not seen much of him for
girls.
why ain't youl" asked Robert.
II saw that picture on the slate" said
Robert. Jane sobbed.
II don't care, you're the prettiest girl in
school, anyhow" said Robert in = shame
faced way.
why, Robert Carnes! Iain'tw
YES, you are"
"Oh, Robbie--maybs I shall be-taller
than l AM now"
II don't care il o are, you'll always be
the prettiest. Come along"
"Iain't going back to school,"
Teacher won't like H." II can't help
it."
"Oh, come along"
II WON'T" Tho girls pink face turned
up towards him like IL pink flower from
the bushes. There was n look in it that the
boy new we'll. He knew TINT when his
old playmate said, II won't" in that tone.
she didn't.
Robert seated himself ON the bank aud
began to whistle. Jane looked at him, she
could see his slender shoulders in his little
homemade blue II white shirt, and his
handsome face gazing ahead abstractedly
a. he whistled.
"Why don't you no back 10 sohcol~ she