The Middleburgh post. [volume] (Middleburgh, Snyder Co., Pa.) 1883-1916, 1893-02-23

~ 81 Il ~ a''A'A VI hNA thA iiN-
T.---IiDL..NEN she sat at her
dcsE, clasping her
aching temples with ner slim white
lingcrs-a young woman OF perhaps two
and-twenty, with fair, oval face which
seemed to have been made foi smiling,
but was now wearing an expression of
yeariness and dependency.
The day had been a trying one.
Though only the middle OF February,
the weather was close and sultry, and
she had sat all day in the stoveheatcd
room, not daring to open the doors and
windows lest the children should take
cold.
These latter-girls as well as boys
had shown themselves unusually rest.
less. inattentive and provoking, with an
amount Of gigglng aud whispering 90.
ing on which had sorcly tried the nerves
and temper Of the usually patient
teacher.
AS she now sat, resting her aching
temples in her hands, she almost con-
clu1ed that it would be better to give
up her situation at the end of this her
first session, and seek some less weary
ing if less "genteel" means of support.
And she would be glad to get away from
Lynuvile.
At first she had liked it, and fancicd
that the people liked her; but since the
new minister, the Reverend Frank
Deane, had begun to show her some lit
tie kind attention when they CHANGED to
meet at the various church soclables,
sewing societies sIf aHd GtsTs e%d;S$ s. lar enter
Kate Morrison could not but become
aware of the great dIninution of her
popularity among the female portion Of
her acquaintance.
IL had even come to her ears that she
was generally accused of 'setting her
cap for the ministc-, and that Miss
Peachy Perkins, who, when Mr.. Deane
was suffering from cold, had sent him
n pair OF embroidered slippers and no
end Of cake and jelly "of her own max
ing" had publicly declared her cOuvlc-
tion that "that Kate Morrison was sly,
designing MINK while Patty Merriman
had pronounced it downright impudent
in school teacher to force nerselt upon
Mr.. Deauc's attention, rs she did that
night when she went 10 church without
an umbrella, and it rainei, and he was
compelled to see her home
And so poor Kate, in mingled pride
and modification, had since felt herself
Obliged. in self defense, to treat Mr.
Dc0nc with a coldnCss and reserve which
had evidently put an end to his atten.
tions.
And the faint, sweet dream of dawn.
ing happiness, which had for a brief
moment chcered her lonely life, had van.
ished, leaving only shadow behind.
She was thinking of these things nov
rs she sat at her desk, until thought be.
came torture; and to escape from it
she arose and lef. the school.room, and
stood for awhile resting in the shade oil
/ the big elm tree which grew behind the
| house.
The two bad boys looked after her,
/ and then moved cautiously toward each
other aud commenced whispering and
grinning.
"say, Dick, did yer give that volun.
tine to Liz Miller!'
"Yer bet An she was so pleased
she most jumped out o her skinm
"Guess Hattie Smith warnt pleased q
bit. She tore up her Voluntine, and
lowed she'd Tamsack the whole schoo
but she'd find out who called her splay.
foot, snaggle'tooth pollywog. He, he
Twas lunln
"What yer thinkl Tom Neal didu'
send them Voluntipes TO Mamie anC
Sally He was sort O. 'fraid. Here the,
arc in his desk. Amt they stunning
He, he!"
He held up two coarse sheets of paper,
on which were cmbazoned wreaths of
vermilion roses, and bleeding hearts
skewered with arrows roasting before
gamboge flames. Beneath each heart
were some printed lines.
"Hush, Dick; the teacher III heal
yer"
"Wonder if she'll git Voluntine2"
"Dunno. Herd brother Ben say the
minister was spoony on her. Say"-hii
freck.ed face became suddenly radiant
"s'pose we send her one O. these Volun'
tines-from him?"
"An' t'other one to him-from herr
They chuckled in fiendish glee. BuI
there was no time for indulging In mer
riment. So while Dick hastily scrawleC
name beneath the verses on the Valen
tines. Tim directed a couple of enve
lopes.
"Huny, Tim" Dick whispered. "
see Lem Miller comin' down the road Of