Evening star., 1895-03-16

II was very cold morning, and Mrs.
Pease had put her green shawl on Com
fort over her coat, and the little girl look
ed very short and gstout as she trudged
along between the snow ridges which
eordered border, IL the path; and yet there was
L don't know as the child was fit to go
fully.
She didn't look very well. and she
didn't eat much breakfast, either" said
Grandmother Atkins,
she was always crazy after hot pam
cakes, too" said her mother.
Emly?"
mo. I won't" said Mrs. Pease, turning
away from the window. "She's begun to
go to school, and I'm not going to take her
out unless I'm sure she amt able to CO."
So Comfort Pease went on to school and
she had the gold ring in her pocket, which
was tied around her waist with string
under .s M her dress skirt. as was the fashion fashion
then. Comfort often felt Of the pocket
tn be sure the ring was safe as she went
alorg. 1t was. bitterly cold, the snow
creaked under her stout shoes. Besides the
green shawl, her red tippet was wound
twice around her neck and face, but her
blue eyes peering over 1t were full Of tears
which the frosty wind forced int" them,
and her breath came short and quick
When she came in sight of the school
house she could see the straight column OF
smoke rising out of the chimney, 1t was
so thin in the cold air. There were no
Out LII tHo yarQ, only d group IolH-
ing down the road in the opposite direction.
1t was too cold to play out of doors be-
fore school as usual.
Comfort pulled off her mittens, thrust
her hand in her pocket, dangling against
her blue woolen petticoat, and drew out
the gold ring.
Then she slipped it on over the third and
fourth fingers OF her left hand, put her
mittenS on again and went on.
1t was quite still in the school house. al
though school had not begun, because Miss
Tabitha Hanks had arrived. Her spare
form, stiff and wide, and perpendicular as
a board, showed above the desk. She wore
purple merino dress buttoned down the
front with hard black buttons, and great
breastpin of twisted gold. Her hair was
looped down over her ears in two folds
like shiny drab satin. 1t scarcely looked
like hair, the surface was SO smooth and
unbroken, and great tortoise sheel comb
topped it like a coronet
Miss Tabitha's nose was red and rasped
with the cold her thin lips were blue and
her bony hands were numb, but she set
copies in the writing book with stern pa
tience. Not one to yield to little fall in
temperature was Tabitha Hanks. More
over, she kept sharp eye on the school,
and she saw every scholar who entered,
while not seeming to do so.
She saw Comfort Pease when she came
stepping shyly in, and at once noticed
something peculiar about her. Comfort
wore the same red thibet dress and the
same gingham apron that she had worn
the day before, her brown hair was comb
ed off her high, serious forehead and braid
ed in the same smooth tails, her blue eyes
looked abroad in the same sober and timid
fashion, and yet there was change.
Miss Tabitha gave quick frown and
sharp glance of her gray eyes at her, then
she continued setting her copy. THAT
childs up to something" she thought,
while she wrote out In her beautiful shad-
ed hand: "All is rot gold that glitters.''
Comfort went forward to the stove, which
hv a
boys. Matilda Stebbins and Rosy were
there with the rest. Matilda moved aside
at once when she saw Comfort and made
room for her near the stove.
'Hullo, Comfort Pease," said she.
''Hullo," returned Comfort.
Comfort held her numb right hand to the
stove, but the other she kept clenched in
"Cold. amt it?'' said Matilda.
Dreadful" said Comfort, with a shiver.
Why don't you warm both your hands?"
asked Matilda. ,o
MY other hand amt cold" said Com
fort, and she really did not think it was.
She was not aware of any sensation in
that hand except that of the gold ring
binding together the third and fourth fin
gers.
Pretty soor the big girl with red cheeks
came in. Her cheeks were redder than
ever and her black eyes seemed to have
frost outside. "Hullo," said she, when she
caught sight of Comfort. That you. Com
fort Pease?'
"Hullo," Comfort returned family She
was dreadfully afraid Of this big girl. who
was as much as sixteen years old and
studied algebra, and was also said to have
a beau.
Got that gold ring" inquired the big
hands to the stove.
Comfort looked at her as If she were
going to cry.
tharo coid Mafi do Sfahh hroN in,
the face of the big girl, who persisted.
nevertheless. Got that gold ring?" she
asked again, With her teasing giggle, which
the others echoed.
Comfort slowly raised her left arm. She
unfolded her little blue fist, and there on
the third and fourth fingers of her hand
shone the gold ring.
Then there was such an outcry that Miss
Tabitha Hanks looked up from her copy
and kept her wary eyes fixed on the group
at the stove.
MY sakes alive! Look at Comfort Pease
with gold ring on two fingers!" screamed
The other scholars in the room came
crowding up to the stove. Les see it,
they demanded of Comfort. They teased
her to let them take it. Lem me take it
for just minute? I'll give it right back,
honest" they begged, but Comfort was
firm about that; she would not let that
ring go from her own two fingers for one
minute.
"Ain't she stingy with her old ring?"
said Sarah Allen tc Rosy Stebbns May
be it amt real gold.' whispered Rosy, but
Comfort heard her. "'Tis, too!' said she,
stoutly
Its brass, can tell by the color" teas
ed one of the big boys; "'fore I'd wear a
brass ring if 1 was girl"
1T amt brassv' almost sobbed Comfort.
Miss Tabitha Hanks arose slowly and
came over to the stove. She came so 81
lently and secretly that the scholars did
not notice 1t, and they all jumped when
she spoke.
You may all take your seats" said she,
eff it is little before nine. You can study
until school begins. 1 can't have SO much
noise and confusion"
The scholars flocked discontentedly to
their seats. ITS all the fault of your old
brass ring" whispered the big boy to Com
fort, with a malicious grin, and she trem-
bled.
Your mother let you wear It, didn't
she?' whispered Matilda to Comfort as
the two took their seats in the bench. But
Comfort did not seem to hear her. and
Miss Tabitha looked that way, and Matilda
dared not whisper again. Miss Tabitha
moreover looked as though she had heard
what she said, although that did not seem
possible.
However, Miss Tabitha's ears had a rep
utation among the scholars for almost as
fabulous powers as her eyes. Matilda Steb-
bins was quite sure, she heard, and Miss