Smyrna times., 1901-03-06

"'My Susan is the greatest hand for (
book!" said Mrs. Perkins, a stout,
gOodnatural-looking woman, to Mrs.
Wyvil, a lady from the city, who was
boarding at her farm during the sum-
mer months.
perkins and me, we've worked hard
for what we've got and we've never be-
grudged nothing on her teaching.
She's been four years at boardin'
school already, and she's got to go
another year, till she's II, you know.
She's regular book-wOrm. She takes
her books to bed with her, and she
reads before she gifts up in the mOrnin
and she hardly takes time to eat her
meals, she's that sot on studyin'."
Mrs. WyviI had not noticed any
thing in the girls conduct that indi-
Gated that she was an eager student.
She was rather good looking, and very
affected. Her normal expression was
that of disgust and discomfort at her
homely surroundings, and she never
engaged in any useful occupation.
The lady had set her down as a par
TALLY educated young lady, very keenly
alive to her parents grammatical
errors, but not conscious that her own
stilted, affected speech was as open to
redlcule as her mothers ignorant mis-
takes.
'.Studies hard, does she?" Mrs.
Wyvil answered, in rather an incredu-
lous tone. "Well, that is the usual
failing of girls of Susan's age. What
branch of study does she find so alb
sorbing."
ooh, [ don't know! Books is books
to me, you know, with gOod-natured
laughed. 81 never did read one
throug in my life. They all look
pretty much alike to me. Her par
don't mind how much she reads in the
vacation, so she don't spent too much
money on books, and she gets them
from the circulating library in the vii
lage''
"I'm afraid Susan's study is con-
fined to novels" Mrs. Wyvil said.
"Indiscriminate novel-reading is in'
furious to any young person. 1t fos-
ters foolish ideas, it units them for the
real business of life No woman who
X PLAYS a worthy or noble part in the
world was ever brought up the
novels"
"My sakes!" exclaimed Mrs. Per
kins, in dismay. She respected Mrs
Wvvil more than any lady she ha'
ever seen, and trusted implicitly in he
judgement and knowledge of tn
world. "Have 1 bin sittin' quietly
and helpin' her to pison herself wit
them books, never dreamin' that the
wasn't improvin' 'er? I'll go right O.
and tell her to make a bonfire @
them.
n But the bonfire was never kindled
Y "The Haunted Chamber" was th
last novel that Susan had absorbed
and for the nonce she was "Ade
\ Vernon" She was determined to tt
\ some of the wonderful feats of hors'
manship with which that heroine b
guiled him the tedium of her exi
tence.
She had horse of her own, not e.
actly like the Vernon's Thunderbol
but shaggy pony, with short LEI
and a broad back, which she h'
dubbed Ariel, but which was know
on the farm by the name Of PossuI
One day, when the farm horse W
needed for work, Susan ordered fal
boy to saddle it for herself.
The boy obeyed, but he was so
tonished by the gloomy air of the g
and her strange hints of the awful RI
she was about to take, that de did L
know what he was doing. With WI
Op9n mouth and eyes, he stood start
after her, as she galloped off, and 10
after she had disappeared, he sto
there. until aroused by Mr.. Perki
angry voice.
"What are you standing there
staring like a stuck pig? Didn't L
you to send Jim on Possum after
bagging."
miss Susan would have the po
all could say, sir, " answered the b
Susan, sir. She's gone and dress
Possum up in a red cloth, with II
perty things a-streamlng down
legs and tanglin' 'em up. Someth
the matter with miss. The sez to
In such a dreadful voice, she WI
going to take an awful ride, as mob
ever did take, and she looked as II
was a-goin' to herself"
Nonsense, you goose! Mr., Perl
shouted, angrily, but at the ssme
ne felt uneasy. Saddle Bess, and
follow the gal, and see what she mt
o.y taking Possum when l wal
him."
In the meantime, Susan had cant
r. on fniOioino, - ar oooonrfrn