Eagle River review. [volume] (Eagle River, Wis.) 1890-1927, 1898-05-19


headed girl in the back seat of the
wide, oblong school-room. Harrison
Jenkins, the presiding genius of the
Mace. stood scowling behind his desk,
struggling with the class in Latin.
These young boys and girls, who look
ed pityingly up to his dark face, were
STRUGGLING with the verb sum-"
The lesson had been poorly prepared
and the issue of thunderbolts was soon
expected to shower from this pedagog
zeal olympus. At last it came.
Mr. Jenkins brought his fist down
upon the plain deal board with a
thump that awoke every languid mind
in the room. us this what you come
to school for? he began. as if address
inc a jury. rs this the way you use
one of the most precious gifts that God
has given to you? Here you are,
whole class of bright boys and girls.
with brains enough to do anything you
desire in this great world, throwing
away the greatest opportunity of your
lives. If this was an institution for
wcak-minded children l would have
some compassion for you. But your
faces are all bright and your eyes are
clear, and yet you will come to me
with such a lesson as this" Mr.. Jen-
kinS punctuated every sentence with
that cchoing thump on the desk which
carried conviction and modification to
the minds of each boy and girl before
him.
1t was then that the red-headed girl
ON the back seat wrote "Jovi non
placct' cit is not pleasing to Jupiter'o.
Geraldine Coffin was Mr.. jenkins
pride He had no favorites; at least,
such never appealed in the little COM
monwealth which he held in the hol-
low of his hand. But in Geraldine he
was intensely interested, and he often
found in her his greatest irritation.
While Mr. jenkins held the whole of
his fifty odd young spirits in the hol-
low of his hand, the red-headed girl
was the one person he was not quite
sure of. Geraldine had given him the
name of Jupiter" and it fitted so well
that it was at once adopted by all his
subjects.
when he pounds his desk and that
great shaggy head shakes so, and his
blue eyes flash, all | can think of is
Jupiter sending thunderbolts to earth"
and in this remark Geraldine had
christened him. Many times he had
thought he had heard the name of Jupi-
ter Jenkins, but he had never been able
N a1n Of fhncn fOl
OF course, he knew he was called Jupi-
tcr-he had been told so by admiring
parents, who knew he would be pleas
ed, and he was.
But it was with the red-headed girl
that this story is chiefly concerned.
Jupiter Jenkins could not solve. Ger
aldine Coffin had been an inmate of the
Schoolroom only a few days when Mr..
Jenkins discovered that she possessed
an unusual mind. He laid his plans to
make the most he could of her. He
was accustomed to use the parable of
the talents in the schoolroom, and to
say that to whom much was given
much would be required. The getting
of lessons was an easy matter to Ger
aIdiae Coffin. She not only learned
them, but the truths and principles
were digested, and sank into her mind,
clearly understood and stored away,
until the day which would call them
into use.
Jupiter Jenkins was accustomed to
say that hardly more than one child in
twenty really digested knowledge.
II.
He had come to complain to Geral-
dimes mother that her daughter some
times failed in her lessons, and that it
was inexcusable in one who had such a
mind. Il have come to tell you this,
Mrs. Coffin, when / would not take the
trouble to inform another mother, for
this reason and it alone: Geraldine has
an unusual mind, and she can make
anything she pleases of herself. If she
Knows you and / are one in this mat
ter, she will not care to tronble us by
ncglecting to get her lessons"
Geraldine's mother was as much fiat
tered as any other woman would be,
and. of course, Jupiter Jenkins was up
held. Thus he dealt with Geraldine,
conscious of his power. He endeavored
tomake her fail, and, whenever she did,
She was compelled to remain after
school and get her lessons.
But, with a wonderful mind, there
was a somewhat hayward nature in
thetexture of Geraldine Coffin's person
Atty. She was often rough and hoy
denish, and she caused no end of trou-
Ole, With the deep interest the young
master took in her, sense of power
developed. When Mr.. Jenkins suppos-
eel lie had her solidly in his control,
There would burst forth a fit of don't
care in her which astonished and
alarmed him.