The Worthington advance., 1901-02-08

50 small and cozy was it. They had
agreed that it was just the rig nj slze'
which was a sensible way of Looking
at the matter as they could not afford a
larger one. When Clarissa's father oleo
the little money that was left after his
affairs were settled had been invested
in this place. Their many friends were.
horror struck, at first, to think that
they would be willing to adopt such
simple style of living after the luxurl-
Gus one to which they had been accus-
toned; but Clarissa and Mrs. Roberts
decided that it would not be honest to
assume to be what they were not, so the
debts were paid instead.
But they succeeded in making the
little cottage such home-ike place
that even the old friends looked with
envious eyes at the pretty dove-cote.
and more than one said: 1T is an
ideal home, and not so bad, after ALL
The veranda was bower of beauty in
the summer time, for it was covered
with wood bine and Virginia creeper;
and in the winter the "Ampelopsis-
vitchi," so common in the south, kept
rich and green-with the exception of
faint tints of crimson that came with
the frosts. The windows were bright
and CHEEKY with gardens of geraniums,
heliotrope and marguerites and from
the street presented a pretty appear
ance. There was nothing elaborate in
the interior; most of the heavy furni-
ture had been sold, for both Mrs. Rob-
erts and Clarissa had a sense of the
eternal fitness of things, and knew it
would be out of place here.
To be sure, the parlor was also the
sitting-room and library, but Clarissa's
veritable shrine. The pretty ingram
carpet made one think of a bed of moss,
and the white net curtains were shirred
on small brass rods, draped back artis-
tic-llly at the sides, and tied with long
loops of white ribbon. A handsome
yellow jardiniere with a tall palm
stood in one window and hanging
basket in the other window completed
the picture. There were pictures and
books galore, and in one corner a
guitar spoke eloquently of the taste of
the owners.
When it had been announced that
Clarissa was going to teach in the high
school, the numerous friends were in
dignant. ''Of all persons Clarissa Rob-
erts was the last one of whom would
have thought it," was the protest. But
Clarissa remained serene and went
along the even tenor of her way, pay
ing no attention to Madam Grundy.
The eighth grade was noted for it's
refractory pupils, but when the new
teacher came to rule there was a de-
cided change. Everything went off
beautifully the first day or two, and
many comments were passed on her
amiability. One of the girls said to Tim
Sage: my, isn't she pretty?" where
upon he assented with a nod and said,
as he looked at her black eyes and red
hair: II bet she gets mad awful easy,
and won't it be a picnic?" Tim smacked
his lips as if he anticipated a feast.
But they soon learned that Miss
Roberts ruled by love instead of fear
and therefore the majority disliked
to displease her, though sometimes
|
too far. But it was evident that Miss
Roberts methods were not to be tam
pered with, for woe was it to the
youngster who disobeyed the rules.
She was patient, no one could deny
that, but even patience ceases to be
a virtue" sometimes, and so it was
with her.
Tim Sage, the youth of whom men
ton has been made, had supera-
bundance of spirits, and one day they
overiowed. Clarissa reprimanded him
quietly several times, and finally
when he created a sensation by pro.
ducing angleworms from the depths
of mysterious pocket, with which
he frightened the girls, she took the
youngster in hand.
! "Tim," said she, sternly, "you may
remain after school," +
II was then that settlement took
place, and being of a sullen disposi.
ton he never forgot the punishment