The National tribune., 1900-09-20

landscape faded out, and black despair
took possession.
It'll have to be purely dove crowd
said Maria, continuing the conversation
All our beaux are in the army, and we
girls'll have to come and go alone"
4 CLEAN of hope flashed into Shorty S
mind Mt this.
Il hope you'll let me have the pleasure
of seeing you safely to the school-house
and home again at every meeting" said
the schoolmaster, with a smile and bow
that made Shorty feel that serviity and
flattery were sapping the foundations OF
society.
La, Mr.. Hornbeam," laughed Maria,
you don't seem to think what a contract
you're undertaking. It's right smail
walk from our house TO the schOol-house,
and hard going in bad weather"
Assign me the duty, Miss Klegg, and
its performance will be regarded as an
honor and pleasure, and the more diff
ficulties the greater'll be my satisfaction
in its execution"
Shorty reflected hotly on how much
money was wasted in educating soft-head-
ed folks to make pretty speeches to young
women.
His reflections were interrupted by the
horses beginning to be FESTIVE:
BE careful, there, 81" called out the
Deacon. Il told you to look out for Sher-
man. He's always trying to get his tail
over the lines, ard then he's liable to kck
everything to pieces. Go easy with him.
Pet him, while / get out and catch hold
of him."
But the irascible sherman refused
to be soothed by Sis Steady, there, boys,
Order in ranks, there" Keep cool,
boys" and other military phrases that
came first to his lips. He would not wait
either fer the DeacOn's arrival at his head,
but plunged and kicked worse than ever,
threatening with every sweep of his heels
to wreck the wagon, and main everybody
in it.
Shorty was out of the wagon like a
flash, and his strong grasp on the bits
gave the spirited animal something else to
think about more impreSsiyely than the eX
act relation of his tail to the lines.
The schoolmaster climbed out, looking
Il little winter than ever.
Needn't get out, Mr.. Schoolmaster.
Stay ill.," said Shorty, revealing his feel
ings in a touch of scorn in his tones
Stay in and say purity things to the
horses. Mebbe they'll mind you. You're
in no danger as long as I've got hold OF
him."
Gently, there, Shorty. He's all right
line was extricated. Get in and we'll
start"
Turning to Maria, 81 said:
Il was afraid he'd get excited and
wiring that horses head off. / believe he
could do it. l never saw man so strong
in his arms. When l see him take hold
of anything in dead earnest l look for q
crash. He don't know how strong he
really is"
Shorty would have liked to break the
horses neck, to relieve his own feelings,
and give an object lesson to Maria and the
schoolmaster, but he climbed back into the
wagon, somewhat Modified by what had
occurred.
The school-teacher stayed TIC supper,
and spent the evening with them, much
to Shorty's discomfort, for he abounded
IN neighborhOod gossip, which the mother
and girls wanted to hear, and they
gathered around and talked with him in
ceSsantly.
Shorty distracted himself by going out
with the Deacon to do up the evening
chores around the barn, but the sound of
the schoOlmaster's thin tenor, mingling
with Maria's rich contralto, in q Sabbath
evening hymn, with Amanda playing an
accompaniment on the cottage organ.
tloated over on the still air, and wrought
was pointing out the hogs that would be
ready to kill after Thanksgiving, he
caught himself wondering why there did
not come a time when schoolmasters could
be killed, and he went to his bed enyeloped
in full suit Of gloom.
every one was I'D DIV
the time it was light, and the Deacon was
arraying his forces for another attack
upon the serried corn-feIds.
Maria looked more enchanting than
ever to Shorty, in her simple dress, with
her mass of ruddy-brown hair confined i'm
I he simplest and tightest of knots, to keep
it out of the way, for the days work. She
greeted him with frank warmth that
sent his hopes up toward 90 in the shade.
and lowered about him at the breakfast
table, pressing upon him biscuits nodded
by her own hands and hot from the oven.
ham-ard-cgss, cakes and maple syrup |
with an affectionate persistence, that
made Shorty eat until he was full TO the |
neck, out of compliment to her viands. |
He felt that his sun was now shining
again, and that he would not let the day
pass without saying something decisive to |
her, and either bind her to him, and get |
rid of that haunting nightmare Of school |
master, Or
Then came the awful fear of her merry
derisive laugh, the quizzing mockery with
which she would repulse him, and all the
family would know it; the Deacon would
look gravely panied ut his presumtion. the
mother would appear gently sad man.