The L'Anse sentinel. (L'Anse, L.S., Mich.) 18??-current, 1902-06-21

He entered Miss Peek's parlor
somewhat bashfully, and when the
lady blew her nose for the fourth
time he stammered something about
hoping she had not contracted sum-
mer cold, and begged leave to shut
the window.
"Pray leave 1t open, professor"
said Miss Peek, recovering herself,
and closing the ledger with one hand
while she gave him the other. 1.-THE
weather is suffpcating."
True" returned the professor;
'but you should be careful Of chills.
However, I suppose it's none of my
business"
Miss Peek smiled in spite of her
misery; the professor employed the
latter phrase so often.
"I thought you were going of on
holiday to-day" she remarked.
IT leave tonight" he replied. II
Il merely called for a book l was
careless enough to leave-a book on
comic sections-in my class room.
wouldn't have troubled you, but. the
had been cleared from the school;
| and
"Yes. But know where your book
is. If you wait moment I'll bring
II to you. You are going to London,
supposeP"
The professor bowed, and replied
in the affirmative. London, or rather
the British museum had been the
scene of his annual holiday for years.
BY careful saving during the session
he usually contrived to accumulate
enough money to keep him there for
a month; but this summer, by great
fortune, he was the possessor OF
funds sufficient to sustain him for
nearly double that period, and he was
looking forward to glorious spell
of hard research among certain liter
airy treasures of the museum. When
Miss Peek had left the room to pro-
cure the volume on comic section, he
smiled to himself and rubbed the
left breast of his shabby frock-coat,
within which reposed his pocket
book. He was going to have such q
holiday!
He seated himself near the door
and relapsed into pleasant medita-
ton. Ere minute had passed, how
ever, he was disturbed, not by the
entrance of Miss Peek, but by piece
of paper which puff Of wind blew
across the room to his large, clumsily
shod feet. He stopped to pick it up;
but before he touched it his eye
caught the following words in type
written characters: 81. immediate
payment, failing which we shall re
luctantly be compelled
"What-what?" murmured Pro
fessor Bumpus; and, grabbing thu
letter, he proceeded to read IL from
beginning to end. 1t was an exceed
irgly peremptory demand for tn
payment of twenty-five pounds, tel
shillings and threepence sterling
due, or rather overdue, to Messrs
Curle & Coyle the well-known money
lenders.
Dear mel" said the professor Z
!. himself. "What q pity! However,
!, suppose it's none of my business.
I. He stepped softly across the room
= deposited the letter on the desl
: and returned to his seat near tn
door. 81 shouldn't have read 1t; bu
somehow, 1 wasn't thinking. Neve
: dreamed Of her getting into deb
!. poor thing! Knew she wasn't NAL
: ing much; but--well, well! ! SUI
pose it's none of my business. Tu
:, what fool I am! She was cryin
. when came in. That was why sh
: blew her nose. Bless me! but it
!. trough on a woman. I wish
The flow of his thoughts was II
terrupted by the return of Miss Peel
. who handed him the book he had II
quired for, and smiled brightly as sh
a did so.
: "She's been washing her face, poe
thing!" thought the professor
- MANY thanks" he said aloud, fusl
!, ing because of the. feeling of gui
: that possessed him. "Now, L
2 won't intrude further. You-you'
:, let me know about the next session
please, when it suits YOU"
n ooh yes; shall inform you in GOO
!, time" returned Miss Peek bravel
"And I hope you will have large
n class than you had this last session
=. Professor Bumpus," she added, Or.
ID ing to laugh.
"A Hal hal II can't be much smalle
4 anyhow! But 1 shouldn't wonder
10 you have a very full school in the a
q tumn, Miss Peek. I really shouldn
a be the least surprised. In fact, fro
.. conversations had with the paren
~ of your pupils yesterday, I'm incline
4. to believe--no, I'm certain, Miss Pee
"a that you will have many new pupi
next session. Indeed, I-I-T-
M But Professor Bumpus was not
"A practiced liar, and his attempt at
"A vention suddenly collapsed.
I'd THANK you," said Miss Peek! tur
" Ing to look out of the window: III
ID good of you to try to cheer me U
professor. To tell you the trut
err It hasn't been very brilliant 80
sion"
he "Ah, well, you must look forwar
e. and hope for better things. Coo
h by" he said abruptly,
Nv Miss Peek escorted her visitor