Herald and news. [volume] (West Randolph, Vt.) 1878-1943, 1902-12-11
In the
Latin Room
By ANNIE HAMILTON DONNELL.
HIIIRGINIA BOOTH, if you aren't a
v easel"

v easel"
The class in Cicero was on its way
back to the general assembly room
There was always a minute or two in
the corridor.
Virginia held her book aloft and re-
garded the audaeious little margin
sketch critically.
"Pretty good, don't you think?" she
said. Didn't any of you notice what
a splendid chance / had to-day2 If
you think / could resist it,"
"0h, we don'tl" laughed Georgia
Boyejoy, under her breath. Girls,
will you look at himl Isn't that Prof.
Gregg all oyer?"
Prof Gregg was the instructor in
Latin at the girls high school in FL
well He was a wiry, nervous young
man, whose. smooth, specialized coun-
tenanee was capable of a 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 Salomel Did she
not always do it at the last minute?
'Not to-day, dear. Promise you
won't today. I'd like 10 lie here and
feel easy Just for one day"
"You poor dearl But ! never could
keep my promise II Prof Gregg looked
over his spectacles in that perfectly
beautiful way. I'd have 70 sketch him.
No use, Salome; I'm hopeless"
so am I. ! give you up. But, re-
member. some day youH wish you
hadn't: it's coming"
pity me when it doesl Goodbye,
dear! Don't begin to worry till a quar-
ter of eleven. Cicero doesn't come till
then. Here. take this--and this-and
thisl 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 80 They had only each other.
Salome was an incurable invalid, but
all day long. while Virginia was away,
her thin, white fingers few. That was
her secret. The things she fashioned
out Of her gay woods meant pretty
clothes for the child and a chance for
an education. Sslome 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. Err
your book, Miss Booth2" 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 Loveioy's face grew pale and Vir-
ginia's crimson.
Prof. Gregg studied the open pages
attentively. Now he was turning the
leavesl
Georgia hid her face Virginia's
bright head went up high and defiant.
ayes. / see the-er-text differs
here" Prof, Grigg'svoice was unmoved.
Eyes. yes, yes, / see! There is a de-
cided-er-yariation here. This-er-
text is like the original. see | see.
The class is dismissed We win look
further into this and report to-mor-
row. The usual lesson in advance,
young ladies. You may go"
He made 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, Wen all stand
by youl"
wen body guard you! Wen tell
him it's a 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-
pelledl
please stop; please let go!' Vir-
ginia cried Il don't want to be body !
guarded hope you don't think I'm
afraid?"
well. / am" chartered Georgia.
"rm frightened to pieces. He'll look
at all those dreadful sketches and |
keep growing madden and nader"
Virginia smiled grimly. Il sha'n't |
blame him at all. shall you?"
After school Virginia and a com
mittee of four went back to the Latin |
recitation-room for the book, but Prof.
Gregg had already gone, the book
was gone, too. Virginia forgot that |
It was her music-lesson day, and went /
straight home.
SaIome had not forgotten. Music
lesson days gave her an extra hour
with her woods. She was so intent
upon them to-day that she did not hear
the outside door snap or the slow feet