The Bellefontaine Republican. [volume] (Bellefontaine, Logan County, Ohio) 1855-1905, 1900-01-02
THEY LIET BY C.|A!!oE.
But Remained Together
Intentionally.
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She didn't ask him in, and after paus-
ing a moment he said regretful
Good night and went on down the
road. She stood at the gate watching
his retreating figure. The walk home
had not been lively, for how could
Olive chat cheerily as usual, with her
Indignantly at the recollection of the
scrap of gossip? She was standing in
the vestibuie waiting for him at his re-
quest when the words reached her
ears.
$50 schoolmarm's after the minister
now?"
la, yes, and she's got the inside
him regular, and they do say he's
down there ev'ry week"
That was all, but it meant that she
was being watched and talked about,
and SO she stood there thinking The
moonlight seemed to mock her. Every
object In the landscape was visible in
its brilliant rays. yet there was nothing
in it of warmth or vitality. 1t struck
her that her sense of duty illuminated
her path in life with similar cold pale
rays. She shivered in the fresh spring
scented air and turned to go in. but the
chill and sting of her new resolve went
with her and drove sleep away.
She had been so innocently happy.
Why could not prying eyes and
gossiping tongues have turned else
where for employment
Of course he came home with her.
Any gentleman would. He went her
way and knew that Mr.. aud Mrs. Hop
per never came out nights. AS for the
weekly visits, they were nothing but
psychology lessons. A progressive
schoolma' am. of course must know It.
| and ne had offered to assist. And she
must give 1T all up when she needed II
SO? She set her lips firmly. She must
keep her position and couldn't afford
| to be talked about. 1t made no differ
| ence if neither had ever had a thought
beyond the lessons. and no matter how
hard it was to give them up.
| Its always we'll to stop before one
gets fond of anything" she reasoned
land I'll give it all up and never speak
| to him again.
/ She had no idea how she had depend
ed on the lessons until there We're ne
more to which to look forward. "We'I
talk it over at the psychology lesson,
had grown to be her habit Of meeting
schoolroom puzzles, and now that ther,
was to be no such way Of solving then
there were more puzzles to meet. Th'
following day was a hard one. He
own sad and distraught manner wa
not without its effect upon the chill
dren. A full half hour of the noon re
cess the school spent as prisoners, be
cause 1t was found that some one ha'
broken off the knob of the door, and /
could only be opened from the outside
And they. were compelled to wait unit
some one passing released them.
Four O'Clock brought welcome relief
"It's the embarrassment of writing t
the minister that ails me-" she toll
herself. "If l get that off my mind
I'll be all right and forget about it,"
And diligently she set to work, bu
each attempt was more unsatisfactor
than the last. The old folks had re
tired, and the clock struck $50 just q
she signed and sealed the letter, an
then suddenly she remembered tina
the school report must be made to tn
commissioner on the morrow, and th
roll books were at school.
"I'u have to get them tonight" sh
said to herself, 'late as it is. Serve
me right for being so careless"
Going to the kitchen shed, she too
: down the lantern only to find it empt.
Supplying herself with matches, sh
peered cautiously out upon the moonl
! road and then ran swiftly the shol
| distance to the schoolhouse, not seein
J the gathering clouds behind her. B
the light CT the moon she unlocked th
q outer door, and, in order not to repes
! the experience Of the morning, she too
up a block of wood and carefully pla
I ed it in front of the inner door to kee
it from shutting.
q The dingy lamp above her desk gay
scanty light, and the task Iengthene
o itself out until muttering of thund'
e and dash of rain upon the roof startle
her. Olive was not timid, as her tr
to an empty schoolhouse in the dal
: would prove, but to be alone in thu
b derstorm was the one thing that u
| nerved her. Hastily rising. she locke
|. up at the lamp. 1t was nearly empt
, It would be safe to leave it TO burn ol
70 OF itself, and she could more easily fiji
~ her way to the door, but as she reac
n ed it she came into violent collisiC
IS with the minister. He had come
,e hurriedly, tripped upon the block
If the doorway, kicking it out Of his wa
- and the door slammed shut behiI
10 him.
IN Olive stepped back and stood treI
q bling. She was astonlshed, glad al
ID sorry at his appearance, but more thi
10 all was she dismayed at the predic
meut in which he had placed her. 81
ID under the impulse Of these confictil
emotions she burst forth angril
in 'There, now, you've shut the doc
ST What brought you here, anyway?
r. said would never speak to y
again"