Smyrna times., 1897-09-01
CUPID'S VICTORY.
BY JULIA SISCO,
Age II years.
Morton McllichaeI School, of PhiIo-
deLphiG.

Ihe college bell tOlled out the clOsins
hour, and from under the large trees
young girl arose. She lazily picked
up her books and started on a run for
the building. She was pretty little
blonde, and it was wonder to Sc,
those little feet fly over the grassy
lawn. Bang went the hall door, ant
the young lady gave a sigh of relief and
sped up the hall stairs.
She tip-tOed cautiously along the
upper hall until she reached the room
at the farthest end. She then stopped
to listen, and, hearing nothing, opened
the door carefully, and putting her fin.
ger on her lips to betoken silence, shut
it and exclaimed:
"Oh, girlsl there was just the hand.
soonest man looking over the wall. He
had a magnificent mustache, so sweet
He thought that 1 was asleep, but he
was mistaken, saw him all the time. "
"Oh, Bessie, why didn't you ask him
his name?" ''Did he have blue eyes?''
"Oh, Bessie, do tell us!" Thus the
chorus of EXPLANATIONS greeted Bessie
Davenport.
"Oh, girls, don't be silly, 1 will ex.
plain all. After school, 1 went out
under the trees in the front yard. I
know Madame forbid us, but it is SC
nice and shady out there.
''Do go on, you stupid old goose, we
don't care about shady trees and lawns.
we want to hear your adventure, "
broke in Caroline Francisco.
81 didn't have an adventure, +" coolly
remarked Bessie. ''I laid down under
the trees and commenced on that old
history. 1 had nearly fallen asleep
when the bell rang for closing up. NV
books were all scattered, and was
getting up when this gentleman looked
over the wall. His eyes were black,
l am certain, and he surely must have
seen me looking at him. But I don't
care snap. Listen! Madame Barnes
is coming and we are not dressed for
tea"
There was a general skirmish for po-
session of the one mirror. A knock at
the door made the four girls jump, and
Bessie opened it carefully. Seeing it
was Madame Barnes she said:
"Oh, excuse me, Madame, 1 did not
know it was you. Pray walk in"
Madame Barnes cast a whitening
glance at Bessie, but she did not say a
word.
young ladies, why did you not
dress for tea? The bell rang ten min
utes ago." The tones were dry and
crisp, and the speaker was equally so.
Bessie was spokesman for the party
so she said: Madame, we were not
aware that the bell had rung. We will
come to tea directly" The last word
with great deal of emphasis.
"Miss Davenport, Miss Francisco,
Miss Carnage and Miss Tansey will
each write one hundred lines from
Homer, and translate"
SO saying Madame bowed herself out
and left the four girls speechless with
amazement.
"Of all the mean things this is the
worstr' exclaimed Cassie Carnage, d
vicious brunette.
''Neyer mind, girls, she is a horrid
old thing, and / will help you do them,
I am going to write and ask papa to
take me home, said Bessie, sadly.
"Oh, Bessie. don't do that, we could
never get along without you, and you
know that handsome lover of yours
might come and see you" said Fanny
Tansey, half in earnest, half in jest.
Bessie's blue eyes tighten up with q
strange light and she said, wistfully;
81 wish knew his name. He was sd
handsome. Maybe he will come to tho
closing up ball, girls. Won't that be
fun?"
Her tone had changed and they soon
went down to tea. After tea came the
lesson hour, and the girls, beside their
already hard problems, had their hum
dred lines. Bessielg gathered her books