Daily camera., 1901-12-04
900 IN THE 900
SUPREME COURT


EVERYTHING consplred. 1t would
F not have happened il poor little
boobies first discipline had not taken
place early on that morning, and II
Frances Wylie had not been ION the
rampage" again when school opened
Bobbie was the principals only and
idolized son, and still in kits. Fran
ces Wylie was the mischief brewer OF
Miss Virginia Traps room, No. T.
at was awful groaned the princi-
pal, under his breath. He spread his
hands out on the green baiZe OF his
table and regarded them with horror,
as il there were blood on them. Could
it be they had punished Bobbie-Bob-
bic? He had looked so bewitchingly
and inky and naughty! His little crisp,
sun-yellow curls had stood up round
his reproachful face SO becomingly!
Awful! awful" the principal
,Croaned. He was in no mood to begin
1.-The days work in his supreme court
on the ground floor OF the Maltole
high school. There would be punish
ing to do, of course, and to think he
had punished Bobbie - little sunny
haired Bobbie!
"It's going TO be bad day. see II
in France Wylis's eyea!" groaned little
Miss Trapp, inwardly. Frances from
her back seat gazed about with
studied, innocent wonder. She was
almost as big as little Miss Trapp.
| Frances was ION probation She
had been warned that one more mis-
demeanor would send her 10 the su-
preme court.
I'm not afraid" she thought, Sc
renely. "She's SO little! could put
her in my pocket and run away with
her"
But tiny. 9entlefaced Virginia
J Trapp came of Puritan stock. and was
endowed with courage. She might
twist her small fingers nervously, but
she would not draw back. Let Frances
! Wylie bewarel
| So the day began In the Maltbie high
school, with sore-hearted, seli-re-
proachiul father in the supreme court
! and in room No. mischief-lorine
cir. and tiny, troubled teacher SO
,he Ga~ went forward unit! the Nergil
cla,. was called. Then
Miss WyHe!"
The voice was ringing and firm, and
the little teacher took an impesuous
step forward She had seen the
pl.card. Rooms 10 Let" pinned on
The collar of the Tilly sio~boy Of the
class. and Frances solemn face, tii
among 50 many laughing ones. was
enough 70 fix the culpr!t.
Miss Wylie. you will accompany me
TO the principals room.' the Ni'ie
teacher said. quietly. The class may
90 to the board and write out the scan
sion Of the first six lines OF the lesson
,yhil. am absent. ! am sure ] need
not ask the young ladies to remember
tina, It is study hour. am ready, Miss
Wylie.".
/ There WAS gentle emphasis on the
word ladies. Miss Trapp and the tau
I girl crossed the open space 10 the door,
/ side BY side. Frances Wylie held her
l fair head high. There might have been
I two pages In her wake, holding up
I trailing robes. Al the door she cast
naughty backward glance into the
room and suddenly dimpled with
| laughter a. the legend she read upon
/ the blackboard:
/ ..our fri.nd-hss sons-un TO the su-prsne
1 court.
/ AI..-~ho .n-tsr thsrs-lsare' nope
I behind"
Francs,' laugh sounded softly in her
I throat. The little teacher was already
in the hall, waiting. and failed to see
the word. provoking her rnirth.
The two walked down the long hall
silently. both remembering that this
was the frs: public disgrace OF Frances
WyI!e's school life. For one moment.
midway down the hall, the girl caugh,
her breath in sob of pity for the in
valid mother q; homs-noi for herself
Were in for it. a, sure as there's
avenging justice At the end OF the
! hall" breathed Frances to herself.
She showed no signs OF sorrow. Little
virginia Trapp glanced up sidewise
| into the cold, impassive face and sighed
gently.
In the supreme court sat the princi-
pal, still thinking Of Bobbie. He was
measuring time until the noon hour
when he could go home again. He had
not been able to decide to his entire
comfort that Bobbie would be at the
halfway place to-day. as usual. and
the doubt wa, making him nervous and
distressed.
There WAS a low knock at the door.
Come in!" the principal called. He
had left his Spectacles at home in the
| inauisitorial chamber with Bobbie, and
the two figures that entered-one tall,
the other short-were unfamiliar and
hazy TO him. He was very dependent
upon his spectacles.
Good morning" he said, absently.
The two figures edged a little way
into the room. For an instant there
was embarrassing silence, while ths
principal from behind his desk OBJ
served vaguely the tall dignity Of Fran
ce. and the curly brown head Of the
tiny teacher. There was no question
as to identity. Even to unspectacled
eyes it was plain enough which was
which.
Under the stress of excite ment Vir.
ginia Traps tongue sometimes played
her false. Now. as she opened her lips
TO speak, she found herself incapable
of uttering syllable. Her tongue
fnttered soundlessly.
"WelI?"
The principal gazed dimly at Fran
ces, waiting. He would give her time.
It was source Of grief to him that he
was held in such awe by his teachers.
This tall, stately woman must be the
new teacher in room 9.
"You have brought the young lady
A.. Sha haa haan-eH-feanS.