The Bossier banner. [volume] (Bellevue, Bossier Parish, La.) 1859-1952, 1902-09-18
In the
Latin Room
By ANNIE HAMILTON D0NNELL. q
SiJTIRGINIA BOOTH, if you aren't a

CdsC'
] The class in Cicero was on its way
back to the general assembly room
There was always minute or two in
the corridor.
Virginia held her book aloft and re-
rarded the audacious little margin
sketch critically.
"Pretty good, don't you think?" she
said. Didn't any of you notice what
a splendid chance / had to-day? If
you think l could resist it"
"Oh, we don't!" laughed Georgia
Iovejoy, under her breath. "Girls,
will you look at him! Isn't that Prof.
Gregg all over?"
Prof. Gregg was the instructor in
Latin at the girls high school in FL
well. He was wiry, nervous young
man, whose smooth, spectacled coun-
tenance was capable of great variety
of astonishing expressions.
He was also Virginia Booths best
Subject" From cover to cover her
Cicero were irresistible little sketches
of his favorite attitudes and grimaces.
This very morning had not Salome
warned her? Poor Salome! Did she
not always do it at the last minute?
"Not to-day, dear. Promise you
won't today. I'd like to lie here and
feel easy just for one day"
"You poor dear! But I never could
keep my promise if Prof Gregg looked
over his spectacles in that perfectly
beautiful way. I'D have to sketch him.
No use, Salome; I'm hopeless"
$50 am l. 1 give you up. But, re-
member, some day you'll wish you
hadn't; it's coming"
"Pity me when it does! Goodbye,
dear! Don't begin to worry till quar-
ter of eleven. Cicero doesn't come till
then. Here. take this-and this sand
this! Put 'em under your pillow.
That's every pencil I've got!"
There was always this little scene
varying only in wording-When Vir-
ginia said goodbye. After she went
away salome lay among her pillows,
white and wistful. Virginia was 16,
Salome 30. They had only each other.
Salome was an incurable invalid, but
all day long. while Virginia was away,
her thin, white fingers flew. That was
her secret. The things she fashioned
out of her gay woods meant pretty
clothes for the child and chance for
an education. Salome never told her
sister how pitifully small her income
was. That was another secret.
One day there was discussion in the
Cicero class, and Prof. Gregg held out
his hand.
"May take your book, Miss Booth?"
he said. Possibly your text differs
here. Misprints sometimes occur. Er
your book, Miss Booth 2" For in the
horror of the moment Virginia had
held back.
Now, because there was nothing
else to do, she extended the book. A
soft gasp was audible at her elbow and
travelled over the whole class. Geor-
gia Lovejoy's face grew pale and Vir-
ginia's crimson.
Prof. Gregg studied the open pages
attentively. Now he was turning the
leaves!
, Georgia hid her face. Virginia's
bright head went up high and defiant.
"Yes. I see the-er-text differs
here" Prof, Grigg'svoicewasun unmoved.
"Yes, yes, yes, ] see! There is de-
cided--er--sariation here. This-er-
text is like the original. Isee, see.
The class is dismissed. We will look
further into this and report to-mor-
row. The usual lesson in advance,
young ladies. You may 60"
He mi Ie no motion as if to give back
the book. and Virginia marched out at
the head of the file in silence. She went
on down the hall, and then was sur
rounded.
Never mind, Virgie, we'll all stand
by you!"
We'll body guard you! Well tell
him it's species of insanity-runs in
the family. All the Booths have made
faces back to nobody knows when!"
Yes, you dear, he sha'n't have you
expelled; he sha'n't!"
expelled! Oh, was that what it
meant? o poor Salome! Not ex-
PEELED!
Please stop; please let go!' vir-
glnia cried. 81 don't want to be BODY
guarded. l hope you don't think I'm
afraid?"
Wen, I am, chartered Georgia.
I'm frightened to pieces. He'll look
" all those dreadful sketches and
Keep growing madder and madder."
Virginia smiled grimly. ~ sha'n't
blame him at all, shall your
Alter school Virginia and '.com-
mitfee OF four" went back to the Latin
recltation-room for the book, but Prof.
sureggs had already gone, the book
was gone, too. Virginia forgot that
u was her music-lesson day, and went
straight home.
oaiome had not forgotten. Music
issson days gave her an extra hour
Wlth her woods. She was so intent
upon them to-day that she did not hear
Inc outside door snap or the slow feet
come Flooding up the stairs. Tasy
/