The Republican. [volume] (Oakland, Md.) 1877-current, 1895-09-12


porch, and turned her head at an ap-
preaching step, dropped her hands
Imply, while a look of amazement
bordering on horror stole over her
placid black features.
Certainly l am, Peggy. Why not?
/ cannot ride comfortably in anything
else"
Peggy shook her head gloomily.
Il dunno, Miss JESSIE" she said, ~
dunno muffin of de styles norf, but I'd
feel mighty bad if Col. Preston's Mis-
Imogen or Mis- Payson-Smith meets yo'
on de road lookin' like dat"
Nonsense, Peggy l am perfectly
willing to meet the whole county at
once; and it is not a question of style
but a question of comfort, you must re-
member that"
She spoke indifferently, but she was
conscious of slight inward shiver at
the thought of the general disapproval
her innovation of riding to the school
house on a bicycle might meet with, in
view of the fact that it had begun at
her very door.
She was trim, sweet-looking girl,
with pretty brown eyes, fresh color
and soft, brown hair of a sunniness
that was reflected in her eyes, and she
wore a modest dark blue frock that
fitted her slight figure well, reaching
just to her shoe-tops, tan leggings and
shoes, that would not show the dust of
the road, and a blue sailor hat to
shield her face from the warm Septem-
Der sun.
She wheeled the new bicycle, the
first, the only one in Harmon, out into
the yard, and mounting it easily, she
was off like bird down the country
road, with the sunlight catching the
shining wheel, and Peggy watching
her anxiously and muttering renewed
hopes that she would not meet, above
all, the colonel's family.
Jessie Tuthill was a northern girl,
who for the year past had been en-
ployed by a dozen of the old families
of Harmon, Va, to conduct a small
school for their children. Before the
war Harmon had been a gay spot,
noted for IT'S beautiful places and hos
pitality, but since then it seemed to
have fallen asleep, awaiting some roy
al touch to awaken it again. Jessie
was distantly connected with the Pay
son-Smiths, one of these old families,
and so with that recommendation and
letters from several distinguished
northerners, vouching for her capabil-
ity as teacher, she had secured the
position which the dozen families had
found some difficulty in agreeing upon
filling, and she had soon won the con-
fdence and love of the children and the
gratitude of their parents for her gen
tie influence upon them and for their
progress. Her mornings were devoted
to the younger scholars and the after
moons to tutoring class of half doz-
en- boys preparing for college. She
had been home north for July and Au-
gust and she had just returned. How
she had enjoyed those two months of
freedom among her old friends in the
dear little home she had grown up in
on the Hudson, which, if it was small,
had such a big view of river and misty
hills, and which she was so loath to
leave but that she would not stay and
be a burden where there was not al
ways enough, and the position south
was very good one.
While she had been gone she had
tried one day to ride girl-cousins BIZ
cycle, and learned SO quickly and en-
joyed it 50 thoroughly that her uncle,
who would have done more for her if
the girls independence would have let
him, presented her with one for her
own as parting gift; and now this
morning she was riding it for the first
time to the little schoolhouse, three
miles away from where she lived, find
ing it great relief from hurrying
along on foot as she had been obliged
to do all the year before, and yet, with
all the exhilaration of the exercise in
the fresh morning air, still dreading a
little the criticism this innovation
might meet with. For as Har-
mon was less wea lthy than in the old
time, it was proportionately more for
NAL, and woe betide the individual,
and especially an outsider, who dared
to do anything for which he or she
could find no former shining ex-
ample.
Inc country road was hard and
smooth, and, in spite of her fears, she
was beginning to be quite happy,
when she heard the sound of a carriage
coming behind her. She glanced hur-
riedly back. Peggys worst fears were
realized. 1t was the coloners wife,
both of whose daughters, known as
1.-THE Preston twins" attended the
school. Jessie slowed up to let the
carriage pass; she could easily have
outstripped the numbering farm horses
drawing it, but she considered the mo-
ment was not favorable for the display
of her racing powers, and she smiled
CHEEKY good-morning, trying to appear
as unconcerned as possible, though her
wheel was webbing horribly from her
nervousness, and it detracted from her
sense of dignity.
In the brief moment of passing Mrs
Preston regarded her with astonish-
ment and favored her with bow that
was blood-curdling in its frigidity
The whirling dust from the horses
feet choked her for an instant, and
then the carriage turned into another
road and she was alone once more in
the sweet Virginia wooded country,
feeling the soft air grateful to her
burning checks.