Daily inter mountain. [volume] (Butte, Mont.) 1881-1901, 1900-10-04

humored and adored him and his busy
father neglected him, and between the
two his better nature lay dormant. Miss
Lewis studied him covertly all that first
morning, and planned her line of at
tack for if she was to stay here, then she
must ave Bob on her side. And with a
woman intuition she found the Achilles
heel. That afternoon some blackboard
work had to be done, and after tiptoeing
a few minutes in a vain effort to reach
high enough, she turned around n
said. with a fetchingly beseeching smile:
Bob, won't you come and help me?
you are so nice and TALL"
Surprised and rather complimented,
the boy did as she asked. THANK you,
DEAR she said with another soft smile
as he stopped to put the chalk in its box.
Then with a sudden gesture she pushed
the hair from his brow with her pencil
and added: with such a fine forehead
as that you ought to have the making
of a president in you" And confused,
but tingling in his boots, Bob e back
to his seat.
That afternoon everybody fingered, but
Bob outstayed them all, and Miss Lewis
found him pretending to mend the gate
latch when she came out.
do you go my way Bob? That is nice.
Come on this side and a k my umbrella;
my arm gets so tired of holding it-tilt it
just a little more-there, that's a dear"
Again Bob tingled; and then he asked
himself if it We're really he walking
along the roe carrying a girls parasol.
You're the littlest thing I ever saw"
he said presently, looking her over out
of the corner Of his eye. Then he blurted
out, boy fashion: But say you're awful
pretty"
I'm glad you think So" she answered,
with a tiattering accent or the last pro-
noun.
A long look ahead as if he had not
heard her, then he. asked: "Whyo'
"Oh, because I like you and I want you
to like me. AS you say, I am so little
that 1 sometimes need a big, strong
friend like you to look after me-"
The words and the glance that went
with them finished the ~subjugation Of
the young rough. The mex day he sale
to the other school boys:
'"That's girls too little to be bullicd.
The first fellow that starts it will have to
answer to me. See?' And Dick James,
the other 'unterrified quantity" of the
community, having nodded his agree
ment, Miss Lewis was as safe as If a
troop of Rough Riders had been picketed
about her desk. But the gossips did not
know this, and so they kept waiting for
Bob Smith to put that wrong foot out Of
bed. And while they waited the autumn
wore peacefully away.
One afternoon Squire Bailey stopped
at the school house. The days work vas
done and Miss Lewis stood or the steps
tying her hat under her chin with it's
gay ibbons. On one side of her Dick
James swung her lunch basket; and on
the other Bob Smith waited with her
parasol as docilely as though he a not
famed OUT the last teacher and sworn
like treatment to this one-before he saw
her. 'Squire's eyes twinkled at sight Of
these two. unruled spirits in their new
roles.
Got two mighty rough citizens for
your escort, Miss Lewis" he said, with
a knowing nod and wink. The little
teacher bridled:
Tn sure I don't know why you should
say such a thing, Squire Bailey, I inc
Bob and Dick perfectly lovely"
Dick flushed with pleasure and Bob
drew himself up proudly until he stood
fully a head above the beribboned hat
that shaded Miss Lewis brunette face.
mo teacher ever found them lovely"
laughed the Squire.
well, 1 think no other teacher ever
thoroughly understood them. To me
they are two Of the sweetest boys I ever
knew" and she Went away down the
shady road with her two escorts who,
between their smiles at her, glared at
each other over the crown of the be-
ribboned hat. After she was safely at
her boarding place they went down be-
hind Squire Bailey's hay ricks and had a
good hard fight.
OF course the little teacher heard of
the fight, but not of it's cause, and she
lectured the boys soundly. Dick look his
scolding in amiable silence, but Bob was
more difficult to manage. He and she
were alone in the school house where she
had purposely detained him.
Il was obliged to fight Dick-sometime
I think I'd die if I didn't hit something
and he is so conceited," Bob said, his big
hands clinching and u%nclinching.
But fighting is unworthy of you. I'm
talking to you very plain; just like a
sister who has your good at heart"
II don't want a sister," he said dog
oS"Ay SAS 6AS" Ava ~ lAAC " IllS
hair as he blurted out, "but when I
a learned a little more sense and
decency I want a-wife."
Miss Lewis got up, but he stood be-
tween her and the door. Don't go;
scold me all o want-take that switch
and beat me-, but stay and talk to me!'
And because he was SO insistant-per-
haps-she staid; and they We're very
sober as thev wa liked honoa in tho wintor
sunset.
In course of time the gossips heard of
the fight. and they said Bob was getting
ready for mischief, and prophesied he'd
make up for so much time lost in being
good. They had known all along he
would not let the teacher stay her term
out. But again they were mistaken, and
the winter passed and the spring came,
and all was quiet in scholastic circles.
But in the schoo house a pretty play
ru-nC ,onfo1 n ~1o 80