The Van Buren press., 1894-10-20

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walk to church, wearing no overshoes,
and with their throats quite unprotect-
ed; for high cloak collars had not yet
come into style. Matilda, however,
knew nothing of this Sunday after
noon custom, and she had been taught
to clothe herself comfortably. Down
she stepped on the first Sunday morn
ing of December into the hall where
all the girls were assembled. On her
hea was pretty and becoming hat
slightly larger than the others wore,
her cloak was unusually heavy and a
long boa was wound around her throat,
while on her feet she wore . pair of
high overshoes.
did you everl" whispered Lily
Maud. isn't she . guy7" Matilda
saw the whisp ring and the glance,
and her lip frightened.
II shall not yield. shall not yield
an inch." she told herself defiantly.
Did you see thst?" asked Annette
Watterson, when the girls had started.
THAT girl has courage and grit. !
have NO fancy for that silly, chatter
ing set, but l shouldn't like to have
them eye me over as they did her.
There was no danger for Annette,
however, who was the only daughter
of senator. Whatever she did was
right In the eyes of Lily Maud. 1t
might seem strange that the teachers
did not put . stop to this petty perse-
cution. They did not know it was 60
ing ON. They saw in Matilda a grave
and serious young girl who was per-
fectly respectful to them, who stood
fairly we'll In her classes, and who
seemed to prefer to be alone. And
she was such relief to them that they
were prepared to grant her any rea-
sonable privilege. And 30, when she
inodestly said that she could not prac-
ticc her vocal lessons in the hearing of
the other girls, they set it down to
natural timidity and permitted her to
60 every day to the conservatory down
town, which was under the manage
inent of the seminary professor. The
girls wondered little, but, on the
whole, thought nothing Of it, for they
all looked upon Matilda as very or
dinary. though, with the exception of
the stylish set, thoy treated her with
civility.
Matilda Bebb's father and mother
are here to see her, announced Jennie
Thompson one afternoon. It was the
week of the spring vacation, when
few, II any, of the gifls went away.
'Oh. am 20 sorryi" exclaimed An
nette Watterson. do you remember
last spring when Celie Dawson's par.
ents came TO visit her? Mr.. Dawson
poured his tea into his saucer and blew
his breath over It to cool it, and he
ate with his knife, and he talked with
his mouth full, and Lily Maud and
Rose Marie and the rest giggled, and
looked at each other, and Celie turned
red and then pale, and looked as II
she'd sink. never saw snything so
pitiful. And I've always thought that
was why Celie didn't come back this
year. And now suppose Matilda will
have to go through the same thing"
but not In the same way said
Alicia Davidson. These three were the
exclusive set In the school. "Girls,
what do you say? I've been watching
Matilda q good while. II she comes
out of this all right shall we make her
one of us?" Three slim right hands
were laid ON the table one above an
other, and the compact was made.
In her room Matilda, who, before
the girls, was grave and serious, was
beside herself with 10y. Now, slipping
up behind her mother, bending over
her and taking her face tenderly in
her hands to kiss her, now seating her
self on her fathers lap and throwing
her arms around his neck.
II declare, Matte" said Mrs. Bebb,.
II most wish we'd come sooner. We
didn't know how glad our little girl
would be to see us, or we would. We
kind o. thought maybe you'd be
weaned away from us. Some girls
are." Mr.. and Mrs. Bebb were very
plain people, but they had reasonably
good manners. They were not likely
TO do any OF those dreadful things
which, when done by Mr.. Dawson,
had proved SO mirth-provoking. But II
Mr. Bebb had been a Chesterfield he
would have been funny, because he
had to be, you know. He was Matilda
Martha's father, and she was queer.
When he seated himself at the table
at his daughters right hand his face
was benming with the kindly interest
he felt in all girls, because his Matte
was one of them. And Mrs. Bebb, who
sat at Mntilda's left, looked about her
with the same geniality.
To Lily Maud this was excruciating-
ly funny. The teacher again being
absent she looked at Rose Marie and
giggled. From their places Annette
and Jennie and Alicia were watching
with anxiety. Matildas face was
flushing. Was she going to be ashamed
of her plain old father and mother?
No, she was not. Her head went up
imperiously. Her blue eyes flashed.
And then, with q grace and dignity
she had never shown before, she de-
voted herself to entertaining her
father and mother. If they had been
q king and queen she, could not have
shown them more difference and re-
spect. Mrs. Bebb saw the situation in
q moment. Those girls are laughing
at u.s." she thought, and then, with
exultation: "But Matte isn't ashamed
of us, bless herr The supper was over
1t last, and the slow moving crowd
making its way toward the stairs
Wont you introduce me to your
father and mother, Matilda?"
Matilda turned to look into the
friendly eyes of Annette Watterson.
A.