Richmond planet. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1883-1938, 1898-08-27
APIECE Or FICTION
By RICHARD HAMILTON POTTS.


1all 20 Sn1Qc, ana 90 WISH MISS DdIKS |
had not engaged man for that branch !
Even if he is old and fogy, still he !
is man. and one would prefer TO be |
found wanting in the presence of ones
own sex" Lou pauses and glOomily
chews the end of her pencil
fWell, for my part. confess l am
glad of any change. 1t is so stupid
pine, 1 banker for sensation and the
want of it This dreadful monotony is
embittering my soul " And L wildly
clasp my hand to my left side where
suppose my soul to be.
81 feel for you and long and banker
with you, responds Hortense genially.
"And L"
"And /, :" rejoin Lou and Kathleen
Cannot somebody do something oct
of the way?' 1 ask. From the silence.
which ensues it seems that somebody
cannot.
kathleen, " continued, turning in
despair to a girl who had only been one
of us a few weeks, but who had already
given us sufficient proof that she was as
we put it, up to anything "Kath-
leen, do suggest something"
my mind is blank, !" she answers
"I am perfectly willing to do anything
anybody else suggests but as for sug-
costing myself-it is beyond me. "
A gloomy pause. My last hope has
vanished
81 wish my hair lay in duslzy waves
and shadows on a low, broad, white
brow" murmurs Kathleen at last She
has taken small pocket glass from her
desk and is pensively regarding her
charming, piquant face
"Now, what are you all laughing
at?'' she adds opening her big, brown
eyes and looking the picture of astonish-
ment. ''And / wish had house with
q lofty, marble hall, too, and / wish
my hair was so long that when walked
distractedly up and down 1.-THE hall,
/ mean-my hair would trail behindme
and make faint swishing sound
A burst of unsympathetic laughter
follows this speech
"Well, If she has not read more nov
els than any girl 1 ever knewf" ex
claims Hortense.
'Hushi" / whisper. "Here come
Miss Banks. -
We all smother our laughter and re
sumo our copying of problem from th
lssn- lam seated next her, and no mari
mars the whiteness of the paper befor
her. She is evidently In brown study
.'Eever mind" whisper, If you
hair is not long and cannot swish o.
marble hall. it's q pretty color an
curly. And then by the time you &c
the hall your hair win probably hav
k-,wn, you know" But she only smile
and relspses again into thoughtfulnes'
That evening Lou Devine and / arc /
eur room studying There is knock &
Ahs door and Kathleen enters Her pre-
ty, short hair Ii wet and pushed on hs
forehead. rs if she were the victim of
severe headache-or q composition
Her eyes, usually sparkling with mi
chief. are large. dark, mournful. 81
assures us with emphasis, in answer
our sympathetic inquiries, it is nothir
but a slight headache She wande
around like AN uneasy spirit, but
usual we have left our lessons until Il
last minute and are too busy to motto
her.
"Bess,'' she says at last "Bess-'
lend me a pencil, will your"
Don't forget to give it back to m
terloo, 1915
"Bess-are you studying your hi
tory?"
Liverpool and Manchester railw;
opened. 1880; liverpool
"'Bessie?''
looked up. Something in her to
attracts my attention.
'Well?" ask rather impatiently-
"Er-now-er. did you say the bs
tie of Waterloo was in 1882"
''Well," say scornfully, ST thong
you were going to ask me something
some Importance. OF course it was
And return to the Liverpool and Ms
chester railway. Kathleen turns to {
door.
She has her hand on the knob, VIII
she pauses
sob, by the way, Bessie" she sa.
with somewhat studied carelessness,
the new teachers Wrinkle
Eyes" l answer, surprised at
manner.
'Such a queer name, you see T
Van Wrinkle you know, and-el
that +" And she is gone
Lou and l stare at each other
AO1dLClnCub
''What makes Kathleen so peculiar
asks Lou
"Give 1t up" answer. "She c
tainly was rather queer. And we
sumo our studying. But the dates v
not stay in my head cannot h
thinking of Kathleen and her stral
hesitation. her very evident confusio
One by ono the first class in hterat
Ales down the staircase which leads
- room where stands Miss Banks,
worthy principal. and Mr.. Winkl
Asst Kathleen, then Hortenss, then
ard behind me Lou
As we reach the door Kathleen st
RAera pats one hand to her head. st
waSs little and DaspA, ''OA, 1 canno
xAsA, before We can move or Tps
aAs sewndghtens mp, dashes open the d
an& marches in. her head inst a Ii