The Forest Republican. [volume] (Tionesta, Pa.) 1869-1952, 1893-12-20

81 shall undertake the first class in
French myself this morning, Constance
have severed my connection with
Mile Deroulet, and until such time as
1 have a new instructress, l shall dis
charge the duties of the position my
self. !"
Constance took out her French
books and followed Miss Lepington
out of the deserted schoolroom into
the recitation room.
'Read, Constance, if you please.
Constance read. She read so sweetly
in any language that it was hard even
for Miss Lepington to find fault, 1
should like to hear her read Russian,
but then l was always very fond of
Constance Afford.
Look out for your 'puis, Constance.
Did not Mademoiselle tell you how to
pronounce that word? Now after me !:
puis."
Puts, said Constance.
''That is more tolerable; but practise
! it, my dear, before the mirror. The
lips must move in one particular way.
You can always discover Partisan by
the way he pronounces 'puis >"
And so on, till at last the French
was over. Then there was the study
hour, and then the English literature
class, which Miss Lepington taught
herself, for she had Severed her con-
nection" with all the assistants except
old Miss Nutting, who came in to teach
drawing once aweek. And Constance
Afford often told me that she was vefy
glad to get rid of the other instructors,
for Miss Lepington was an excellent
teacher, though perhaps a trihe too
narrow in some ways.
After English literature came recess.
This was the first break in the dignity
of the school. Constance found a
chair and drew it mp close to Miss
Lepingtons, and then they ate their
lunch together, and talked affection
ately, Tor they were very fond of each
other.
'Did you know was eighteen years
old to-day?" said Constance.
"Why, my dear child?" cried Miss
Lepington. "And 1 have not given
you present. "
''Yes, you have, DEAR" said Con-
stance (she never called Miss Leping-
ton "dear" during school hours). "You
give me present CT something every
time you teach me. But have some-
thing to tell you but hardly dare. -
''Not quite so many butts, said
Miss Lepington, stroking her favorite
land only pupils hand.
Eyes, dear, all the butts want in
recess" said Constance, mischievously.
"What do you think have done~
Become engaged to be married p
Constance burst out laughing
Fright the first time Oh, how ro-
mantle you are, dear Inever should
have believed it"
Miss Lepington blushed. ''Not
romantic, my child. Perhaps it is that
1 know little of the world. My dear
Constance, l hope that you will be
very, very happy. / am confident that
| the gentleman both is and will be So
/ Who is he?"
"Jack Mackenzie" said Constance.
Giles splendid. But L haven't told
you everything. thought hoped
] .NOu hOulNAll Gil
that he rang the door bell just now.
Did you hear it? asked him to come
here to see You and me. You don't
mind, do you, dear?'
Miss Lepington tried to look stern ;
but she couldn't. No one could look
stern at Constance. Miss Lepington
did look in the glass to see that her
hair was all right, and then changed
her spectacles for her eyeglasses.
''You we're indiscreet, my child, to
ask young gentleman to a girls
school but since he is here, of course
we must welcome him. Jane, show
Mr.. Mackenzie in"
81 hope you will pardon my intru-
sion," said Jack as he came forward.
"But ] was SO anxious to meet the
lady who has been SO intimate with
Constance; and Constance would have
me see you where she had known you
and grown so fond of you. Will you
forgive me?"
Miss Lepington blushed again. She
was not used to fine speeches from
young men. ''No one can be dis
pleased with Constance" she said,
''and 1 begin to think that her tiance
shares her immunity"
After that the three had nice talk
about the old school; end Constance
told several anecdotes, which Miss Lep-
ington had never heard before, about
things that had gone on under the
teachers nose; and Miss Lepington
told the two oyoungpeople stories about
their mothers, who had been class
mates, and pointed out the desks where
they had sat.
The time for the recitation in nat
ural history was past, and they were
in the middle of the hour for Latin
grammar, and still Jack stayed on. At
last he rose to go, and Constance rose,
too They took hold of each others
hands and stood facing Miss Leping-
ton. And then suddenly Miss Leping-
ton understood what was going to hap
pen.
Jack had come to take Constance
away.
Miss Lepington was consummate
mistress of her emotions, and yet Con
stance is very sure that her dear old
teachers eyes we're full of tears.
Good by, Constance, she said, sf-
ter pause. 81 need not tell you to
be good girl. See that you deserve
her, Mr.. Mackenzie,