Democratic Northwest and Henry County news. [volume] (Napoleon, O. [Ohio]) 1894-1905, 1894-06-28
A FEMININE FENIAN.
"Whatl Another Fenian?'

"Whatl Another Fenian?"
"Waal, wouldn't go ez fur ez callin
it thet, James Francis. Of corse, not
being Methody er Baptis', either hard
or soft, kinder sots s'picion ON her in
Otter Crik but Fenianr' The worthy
postmistress shook her head in chari
table doubt. II wouldn't prefer sich
rus charge. She's pleasant spoken
young critter, an not tall rev looshanry
lookin."
"Kelly wuz a Fenian," asserted a
veteran farmer, deftly balancing demi-
john of molasses against the sundry con-
tents of a huge bandanna handkerchief.
"'Pears ez eff this deestric' is jes' runnin
riot after sich firebrands.
Kelly was the late incumbent Of Ot-
ter Creek, discharged by the selectmen
on three counts, age, subscription to
incendiary literature and indifference
to arithmetical accuracy, as clearly
proved by his favorite formula, ''If you
come within three tiggers of the answer,
you're nigh enough"
''She has smilin eyes," irrelevantly
remarked an imprudent youth sorting
out hand rakes in the corner.
''Hit already, Abe?" sneered the vet
eran. "Smilin eyes be blowed! For
a sarviceable schoolmarm give me a
savage lookin gal. Howdy s'pose this
un'ill rassle 18th the mill gang?"
81 don't favor her persuasion" can
didly admitted the stalwart James Fran
els, "but for all that Pm for giving her
fair trial, even though she does turn
the hoss' head on the wrong road to
meeting"
"Here she comes now, a-caperin down
the hill with them Tucker children"
remarked the postmistress, pleasant
smile lighting up her comely face. SIT
do beat all how great growed gal, an
schoolma'am at thet kin frisk along
ez giddy an friv'lus ez eny of her schol-
ars."
Quite unconscious of the interest she
had excited, the young teacher came
blithely down the hill, her own rapid
step still further quickened by the i'm
patient urging of her small charges, the
little sailor hat tilted forward over a
face pretty only in its youthful curves
and happy, frank expression. The post
mistress was quite right in deciding
that there was nothing revolutionary in
her appearance. Abe also was correct in
his opinion of her eyes, and James
Francis, viewing her critically, became
conscious of an alarming indifference to
the manifold evils lurking in her per-
suasions. So impressed was he by the
unfairness of his original remark that,
after investing in chocolates for which
he had no earthly use, he requested the
genial Mrs. Forbes to observe silence on
the subject, favor readily granted and
quite as cheerfully withdrawn under the
irresistible temptations Of cozy tea,
with the girl teacher as her guest.
Teaching in the country is the ordeal
through which nearly every tyro must
pass before being allowed to engage in
city service. Though not the ideal pur-
suit painted by pen artists, it is the
stepping stone from which many an
ambitious worldling hopes to climb tc
the heights of fame. In her unobtrusive
way Cecilia Desmond was ambitious.
She coveted a college course and in.
dulged in roseate dreams of future
crowned with honors won by personal
effort. As step in the right direction,
when the Otter Creek vacancy offered,
she promptly packed her simple ward
robe and said goodby to the dear ones in
her city home. 1t was the first separa
ton, and the ache of parting throbbing
in six hearts expressed itself in copi
GUS shower of youthful tears, quickly
dried, however, in flash Of fun as the
strenuous efforts of the stage driver tt
lash the trunk to the tailboard resulted
in the breaking Of the rope, sending
him sprawling in the roadway.
After months experience Of the
new life the young teacher was begin
ming to realize that fame asks much o.
its votaries. The routine of work wa!
wretchedly monotopous, varied only BY
occasional skirmishes among the differ
ent sections of the district. Tho constit
uency Of Otter Creek academy hat
many subtle subdivisions based ON fam
lily feuds or political and religious vari
ance. To unite SO many elements il
even seeming harmony and at the same
time impart sufficient instruction Il
satisfy the rather exacting communit,
was task of gigantic proportions, ant
one which the girl in her home letter
frequently asserted could be accom-
plished only by the united effort Of |
statesman, a professor and police off
Ger. AS comparison is relief or tor
ture free to all, Cecilia fell into habi
Of contrasting her fate with her sur
roundings, and thus became fully con
scious that her lot was not as flower,
as were the meadows stretching alon,
the slope and TRANQUILITY monopolizin,
the fertile interval.
From the meadows her thoughts re
Sverted naturally to their owner, the fai
minded young farmer who had cham
pioned her cause even while condemn
ing her belief. BE was one Of nature
noblemen, she admitted rather grudg
ingly, and censured herself severely TO