Alpena argus. [volume] (Alpena, Mich.) 1893-1909, 1894-03-21
MADGE BARRY.

mduBS bdiiJ, oh0 h"ie 'O"h"N"
like her, rapid and mischievous, and
as | write it ! see again the old
Dene schoolroom, the dingy desks,
the torn spoilers, the crowd of rest
less, healthy, noisy children, and
foremost, CONSPICUOUS among them
all, Madge Barry.
She was taller than most of the
other pupils, q strong, bright, dark
eyed girl of fourteen, perhaps, whose
shining black hair tossed itself in
short round curls all over her we'll
poised head. She was straight and
active; quick to learn, quick to
plan, quick to quarrel or forgive,
quick in every way.
can see her now seriously intent
over Mary Baner's slate working
out her problems with flying PEN
Gil, and setting down the correct
answer with triumphant flourish,
and moment later carefully tying
Annie Wallys' curls to the back of
her seat with pieces Irvine, while
the questions in geography are
slowly travelling down the class to
find the unconscious Annie a pris-
oner in her place.
Indeed, Madge's energies seemed
equally divided between good and
evil doing; not that her mischief
took any really wicked form, while
her generosity was broad as sum
light and as warm.
All the little helpless sixthform
children looked to Madge as to a
strong power of retributive justice.
Anything forlorn or wretched, kit
ten, beggar, tramp, frog, or angle
worm, found ready champion and
helper in this loud, wilful, merry
girl.
She had a way of dividing up her
nuts and candies right and left, that
made me somehow think Of the
"loaves and fishes" her bounty
seemed to spread so far, and grow
in spreading.
Child as was, | yet was con-
scious of great power in Madge to
command and control, but she was
terribly INDECENT at times, and could
do nothing with better grace than
any human being ever saw.
Madge was frst-division girl,
and third, so | could only OBJ
serve her from afar, but | remem-
Der my feelings of mingled pain
and wonder when | saw her stand
up, tall, handsome, clever, "the OBJ
served Of all observers" and fail,
utterly, day after day.
Irecall, so well, the look of weary,
hopeless contempt on Miss Gay
nor's face when Madge rose for rec
itation, the blush that stole burning
to my cheek as she sat down again,
smiling and Indifferent under scath-
ing rebuke or still more scathing
silence.
Poor Miss Gaynor! How plainly
she, too, comes before me, flushed
and fretful and pretty, with steady
brilliant light in her hazel eyes, a
lustre whose sad meaning / had not
learned to know. She was precise
methodical, thoroughly practical in
character, but tight-lacing, pastry
lunches and bad air had made her
irritable, whimsical, full of cranks
and corners,
To the good girls, the galaxy OF
shining lights in the front row
Miss Gaynor was, no doubt, an ex.
cellent teacher, for they needed
neither discipline nor severity; but
beyond these, her reign was a tu-
multi, sort of civil war led on by
Madge.
1t is very probable this state Of
affairs would have brought about
the speedy expulsion of the chief
turbulent spirit" only for the fact
that Madge's parents were among
the most esteemed and respected
people in Dene, and were, moreover,
constantly showering kindnesses
and friendly attentions on Miss
Gaynor, as if anxious to counter
balance the shortcomings of their
rebellious daughter, whom they
adored and spoiled and found fault
with, after foolish fashion known
only to fathers and mothers that
possess but one child. 1t never oc-
cured to either of them, honest
kindly sou1s that the nranks and