The Forest Republican. [volume] (Tionesta, Pa.) 1869-1952, 1898-03-30
CUPID IN SCHOOL.
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. BY STANLEY Il. JOHNSON.

Then the thunderbolts flew to pune
tuate the masters fluent words of in
dignation. "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
and languid, and not to reach the arm
to grasp the golden apple of the intel
lectual Hesperides, is the greatest
wrong"
1t was then that Geraldine, her col
or slightly brighter and her head
trife higher, would return to her seat
and write "Jovi non placet" (''It is
not pleasing to Jupiter').
There were certain rare facts about
Geraldine that Jupiter jenkins, in his
teachers enthusiasm, had not noticed.
One of these WAS that she was very
pretty girl. But if he had been i'm
pervious to this fact, there were 9th
ers who had not, aud among those
were some of the big boys IN the
school.
Geraldine was growing, and she was
now tall and 1.-THE of figure, with her
big blue eyes clearer and more ex-
pressive as she looked at people. The
true soul of rather designing maid
en- was showing forth from them. She
was glad to receive attentions, and it
smote Jupiter hard when he observed
that she walked with one and then with
another in the still and balmy spring
evenings. Just why it smote him as
il did, Mr.. Jenkins never knew until
few years later.
Bnt it did, aud Geraldine's face
seemed to have framed itself into the
centre of his thoughts. She required
to his consciousness constantly, and
when he thought of these big boys he
was truly uncomfortable.
He had another conference with
Mrs. Coffin, in which he suggested
that Geraldine had better be kept in
the house and made to give closer at
tention to her lessons. When he
called her in recitations he was also
doing his best to make the girl fail.
And when she did fail he did his best
to make it uncomfortable for her.
She had to remain after school and
get the whole lesson. Jupiter made
her recite itall 'preceptupon precept, 4"
so to speak.
He had conceived the ambition to
make a teacher of the girl. He
broached the subject to Mrs. Coffin.
Geraldine" he began, sis cut out to
be teacher" Mrs. Coffin started in
astonishment. Eyes, she is" he af-
frmed, with q thunderboit, "and she
ought TO be sent to normal school.
1 never went to one, and what know
about teaching has been gained by ex-
perience. But there is no mistake.
The learning of methods means some
thing in these days, and I'm sure
that if Geraldine is sent to normal
school she will make a frst-rate
teacher"
Mrs. Coffin thought it over for a few
days and then came to the conclusion
that Mr.. Jenkins was right. That was
the usual conclusion about Mr.. Jenkins
in the little village. The idea was
placed before Geraldine, and when
she heard of Jupiter's proposal she
smiled q smile that made her mother
look at her twice. But Geraldine had
the key to certain kinds of human ma
ture which was far beyond her years.
She thought she would like to go, and
it was great Joy whe she came to
Jupiter's throne and in her sweetest
and calmest manner thanked him for
his kindness and said she would do
her best to deserve it. That was the
happiest day that Jupiter had ever had
in the school, He did not quite un-
derstand it, but there was a singing
heart as homelike as the singing of q
tea kettle and as soft as a cats purr.
Geraldine took new interest in
school. She tried no more of heI
subtle ways to disturb Jupiter, and
the boys found a change in her which
at once set their former interest al
naught.
"Sae amt no more fun" they all
agreed, and they troubled her nc
more.
Geraldine entered the normal school,
and passed her preliminary examina-
ton with extraordinary success. She
was one of the three highest out of q
large class. The veteran principal oI
the school knew human nature at 4
glance. He wrote to Jupiter letter
which confirmed all that worthy hat
said about the battling Geraldine.
When Geraldine returned at the enc
of her first year the townspeQple be
gan to relent in the hard opinion they
had entertained of her, and saw an
other person in the tall and earnes
young woman who had appeared be
fore them. Jupiter Jenkins had ended
his work as schoolmaster in the LITTLE
seaport town. He had been studying
law, and was now employing the sam,
forensic talents he had used before his
schoolroom in a more lucrative if no
a higher court. He was cup in thu
city," and was making a name.
When Geraldine finished her cours
in the normal school she received tn
highest commendation, and the oil,
principal happened to find a gooC
place for her in the same city wher
Jupiter was making his way.
When Geraldine came into his ollic