Reporter and farmer. [volume] (Webster, Day County, Dakota [S.D.]) 188?-1946, 1894-01-25
CHAPTER X.

The morning lessons had seemed
very irlEOme to Mrs. Jack. She was
nervous and low-spirited. In the first
place. she had not Overtaken Mr.. War
rem in her walk to Beech Grove. 1t
was the first morning for weeks that
she had missed seeing him and the
very first or which she had wished not
to sec him; but she was aware that she
should henceforth feel a new c%onstraint
and shyness in his presence, now that
she knew the share he had in keeping
Jimmy and Jenny within bounds Of
obedience.
And was boasting to him, only the
other day, how well / managed the
children!" exclaimed Mrs. Jack to her
, self, as she walked along faster and
faster under the excitement of her own
thoughts: land all the time he was
bribing them to be good and to spare
me. What n weak, babyfied creature
he must think met" s.-... 49,.
And yet there must have been some
CLEAN Of comfort in the discovery Of
Mr.. Warren's care on her behalf. for a
little flush and a smile lighted up her
face the next instant. But on the
whole she wished not to meet Mr.. War
! rem just then, and-a good deal to her
SurpriSe-She got her wish. as we
know. But su6h Is the peryersity and
unreasonableness Of human nature-or
at all events of Mrs. Jacks nature
that, having got her wish, she began to
regret its fultillment! And to wonder
why Mr.. Warren was not taking his
usual walk; and whether he were III,
| or offended with her!Both Of which
r-NyInrfpy- Nynrn J1ttnrlu ui11 anl nm
| founded: seeing that she had talked
with him the previous day. when he
was in excellent health, and had parted
| from him on the friendliest terms, and
seeing that there were fifty far more
probable hypothesis ready to her hand
to account for the fact Of Mr.. War
| rrn's not being at n particular part Of
q particular road at a particular hour.
| Then. too, Mrs. Jack felt certain shy
| ness in the presence Of her pupils since
! Miss Jenny's revelation. When she re-
| uuired obedience or attention she was
uncomfortably conscious that the child
rem were earning their pony rides and
wax dolls. instead Of submitting to dis
cipIine In consequence of her moral in
| fluence over them! .-........
So altogether Mrs. Jack was in a
| state Of nervous depression when her
employer sailed into the schoo!room,
| bland, fresh and elegantly dressed in
| crisp. cool muslin, which made a strong
! contrast with poor Bells shabby, stuffy
black gown.
Go away. Jimmy and Jenny" said
| Mrs. BOddington. Il am going 10 ex-
| crse You from the rest of the lessons.
! Half holiday to-day, IL you please, Mrs.
Lilly"
! The children rushed out Of the room
with n whOop. as OF young Mohicans.
Bell was heartily relieved to have come
TO the end OF her days duties so much
| sooner than usual. and began packing
| ND some dog-eared little exercise books
| which she was to carry away and cor.
| rect. Are you going to take the
children out with you, Mrs. Bedding
ton ?" said she. rs she took her bonnet
| from n side table where il lay on her
folded shawl.
NO: but ! thought | should like TO
say a word TO you, Please to sit down
| again. How exceedingly uncomfort-
! .ble these schoolroom chairs are!"
Bell sat down in silence. Her heart
| vas beating fast, although she could not
ell why, and her color changed quickly.
She had a vague idea that she was GO
! ing TO hear something about Mr.. War
rem. She had got into an odd habit OF
| thinking of him a great deal, and con
| Meeting him with all the incidents OF
aer daily life. Mrs, Boddington's first
words startled her as though she ~