Edgefield advertiser. [volume] (Edgefield, S.C.) 1836-current, 1898-04-20

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49, Cling with the
class in Latin. These young boys and,
girls, who looked pityiugly up to his
dark face, were struggling with the
verb "sam."
Thelesson had been poorly prepared,
and the issue of thunderbolts were
soon expected to shower from this
pedagogical Olympus. Atlast it came.
Mr.. jenkins brought his fist down
upon heplain deal board with q thump
that awoke every languid mind in the
room. ''Is this what you come to
school for?" he began, asif addressing
jury. els 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 de-
sire in this great world, throwing away
the greatest opportunity of your lives.
Ii this was an institution for weak
minded children 1 would have some
compassion for you, But your faces
arc all bright and your eyes all clear,
and yet you will come to me with such
a lesson as this!'' Mr. jenkins punct-
uated every sentence with that echoing
thump on the desk which carried con-
viction and modification to the minds
of each boy and girl before him.
It was then that the red-hef led girl
on the back seat wrote "Jovi non
placet" (''It is not pleasing to Jupi-
terry.
Geraldine Coffin was Mr.. jenkins
pride. He lad no favorites; at least,
such never appeared 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 mad given him the
name OF Jupiter" and it fitted so
woll that it was at once adopted by all
his subjects.
"Whan he pounds his desk and that
great shaggy head snakes SO, and lis
blue eyes flash, all you can think of is
Jupiter sending thunder5olts to
earth"-and in this remark Geraldine
had christened him. Many times
he had thought he heard the name
"Jupiter Jenkins'-but he had never
been able to capture one of these err
ing. mortals. OF course, he kne.' he
was called "Jupiter;" he had been
told so by admiring parents, who
knew he would be pleased, and he
was.
But it is with the red-headed girl
that this story is chiefly concerned.
She was the oaiy human problem that
Jupiter jenkins could not solve.
Geraldine Coffin had been an inmate
OF the schoo!roem only few days
when Mr. Jenkins discovered that she
possessed nj unusual miud. He laid
his plans to make the most he could
Of her. He WAS accustomed to usn
the parable OF the tale ITS in the school
roani,. and to say that of him to whom
mich was given much would be re-
quirel. The getting of lessons was
an easy matter to Geraldine Coffin,
She not only learned them, but the
truths and principles were digcsted,
and sunk into he: mind, clearly un-
derstool and stored away, until the
day which would call them in use.
Jupiter jenkins was accustomed to
say that hardly more than one child
in twenty really digested knowledge.
He had come to complain to Ger
aldine's mother that her daughter
sometimes failed in her lessons, and
that it was inexcusablc il one who
had such q mind II have come to
tell you this, Mrs. Coffin, when I
would not take the trouble to inform
another mother, for this reason, aud
this alone: Geraldine has au unusual
mind. and she can make anything she
pleases of herself. If she knows you
and are one in this matter, she will
not care to trouble US by neglccting to
get her lessons.
GeralIime's mother was as much
hattered as any other woman would
be, ard, of course, Jupiter Jenkins
was uDhell. Thus he dealt with Ger
aldine, conscious OF his power. He
endeayored to make her fail, and
wheuever er she did she was compelled to
remain after school and get her les
sons.
But with a wonderful mind there
was q somewhat wayward nature in
the texture of Geraldine Cofiu's per-
sonality. She was often rough and
hoydenish, and she cansed no end of
trouble. With the deep interest the
young master took in her sense of
power developed. When Mr.. Jen-
kins supposed he had her solidly in
his control, there would burst forth a
fit Of "doa't care" in her, which as
tonishsd and alarmed him.
Then the thunderbolts flew to pune
tuate the masters fluent words of in
digaation. "When one has the
mighty gift OF brains he thundered,
"and life's road lies before, TO choose
what is best and highest, to be lazy
aid languid, and not to reach the arm
to grasp the golden apple of the'intel-
lcctual Hesperidcs, is the greatest
wong.
1t was then that Geraldine, her col
or slightly brighter aud hei. head q
trife higher, would return to her seat