Mineral Point tribune. (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1869-1938, 1900-04-12
THE TEACHER
Better to Have Loved and Lost Than
Never to Have Loved at All.

which | received the news Of my an
pointment. 1t was year after left
the university Mamma had contract.
ed considerable debts to keep me in
st. Petersburg. Milasha, my sister,
was growing, and kolia was in gym
nasium-in fine, mammals pension was
barely enough to make both ends meet.
and my salary had been looked for
ward TO with impatieuce. But, strange
to say, my first feeling as received
my appointment as teacher in the fe-
male gymnasium of the city of \.
had nothing to do with the improve
ment in our economical status which It
implied | remember that feeling 80
clearly that it seems as If 1t had all
happened but an hour ago. Maybe it
is because Of the occurrence which il
foreshadowed and which was destined
to leave such deep trace on my life
that | recall it so wildly every time
think Of 1t. However that may be,
the first exclamation which | made
mentally as received a letter an
nouncing my appointment was not.
Nov | shall have about 100 rubles
month";" but "Now / shall teach n
class of beautiful girls ana fall in
love-
Do not laugh. If you had been
brought up under the same conditions
you would be in a similar furry. |
was what is called n good boy and new
er left my books When in St Peters
burg | was ever trembling lest !
should fail to pass my examinations
and thus cause mother unnecessary ex-
pense and worry, Besides, | had in
herited from my father Il retiring, stu
dious nature. and the very thought Of
young ladies would make my heart
beat fast with feeling Of ditiidenee
and timidity. However, had a vague
conviction that it would have 10 wear
off and that sooner or later | should
have to follow the course Of all young
men-fall in love, propose, marry and
become paterfamilias. When | learn
ed about the gymnasium where | was
TO teach physics, | bcheld class made
up of 20 or 30 beauties. Why all beau
ties / could not have explained but
there they were-all young and rosy
checked, all tall and all with hashful
blue eyes.
I, too, grew bashlul as | thought Of
them In their brown dresses and black
aprons. They lured me- caressed my
soul aeltated my heart, threw me into
a disqueting ecstasy which was as
novel to me as it was sweet and pain
full.
1t had taken me three hours to dress.
| was to make my first appearance ~
the gymnasium, and my first lesson
was in the highest class. which was
made up of girls of Il or Is No stu
dent preparing for examination ever
trembled as | did ON that morning. II
was as if instead of scholars was to
face 90 or 30 ruthless examiners, each
with an incisiye pair of eyes ready TO
pounce upon my poor bashful sell. l
could hear them giggie at my expense
make jokes about my awkwardness
my necktie, my looks.
When | entered the classroom !
struck an attitude Of exaggerated Sc
was not afraid Of the girls | spoke
ridiculouSly loud | almost shouted
As l went on explaining the distinction
between chemistry ana physics /
frowned on my class, looked das-'Fs
at the from. row ana altogether De \
haved as # | bore them persona
grudse.
isn't he stcrn?" I overheard one sirl
whisper to another, \ thrill of pude
ran through me. You're all right
said to myself, ana, clated with the Inn
preston ! had produced, | began 70
feel more at ease and to stride Up ana
down the room with the manner 81 aH
old timer ! was in the seventh heaF-
en-. Two girls We're talking u the rear
seats.
silence | Numbered.
There was Il suppressed chucNle ~
this and my heart sank within ne. II
was the most miserable wretch n lhs
world. 81
When ! got home, I lay down On Aa
lounge 10 think over | did not emo"
what and as | tried to pass the girls
review it came over me that ! H.l n
made sat single face. ] cgu.d pig N
sag as-her they We're pretty or a'-A n
g. ga.h 81 fair a hiarcd H4a-
youus ladies iu gymnasium un n
was all had carried away n
The next time ] had a lesson %
same class | called ont Mile Eys
She had evidently given much uHe
her lesson. but She had il ell We
and strange 10 say. the more she o'-
dercd the more I liked TO hear h.s n
cite II was so charming 10 hear
20 on with the explanation when
did NOT understand herself. You sht-4
have heard her rattle on about
nomena aud laws To judge from us
manner one wonld have thought
was sure OF her ground and felt aOF