The Black Hills union. [volume] (Rapid City, Pennington County, Dakota [S.D.]) 1889-1904, 1903-05-08
ment, but l mean to try it tonight

ment but mean to try it tonight"
An audible gasp broke from twenty
pairs OF lips and Horace Gray, With a
hot flush on his face. and his eyes down
east. looked at the palm of his large
hand, with a queer, little smile lurking
about his mouth.
The school was dismissed, and 10
amazed urchns dispersed to their
homes to tell the news:
Teachers going to whip Horace
Grav!n
The silence in the little school-house
grew oppressive. The clock licked
noisclessly on the wall. Berta felt as
though it were her heart beating there.
Her breath came fast us she took her
ferule from her desk. Her voice
tremblcd.
Horace Gray. come here!'
The great, broad-shouldered fellow
rose obediently and came down the
aisle, standing respectfully before the
little teacher.
Hold out your hand" she COM
manded.
He held it out at oncc--his strong,
brown, right hand. Berta took it in
her own; then dropped it suddenly.
Her face flushed crimson, and the tears
came into her soft eyes.
II can't strike YOU, Horace she
said, ''you are too big. but l am not
afraid Of you. 1t would be shameful
to strike you. 1t would humilate me
as much as YOU. What shall do with
you, YOU great. unruly fcllow?n
He raised his eyes and looked at her
his whole heart in his eyes and on his
lips:
Love me-" he said, "and be my
wife?n
Berta turned away and put the ferule
in her desk, locked it, and then did
sundry other little things about the
, room before she noticed him. Then
she came back to him. and looked
straight into his eyes from the platform
on which she stood-with IL strange
look i'll her eyes, Il culver of her lips,
q paiing of her face--then she laughed.
That is the greatest punishment I
could inllict upon YOU, Horace!' she
said" and will do it
When they were walking homcward
in the dusk, he said:
Il was bad purposcly, Berta-I
longed for you to punish me- / loved
you so | could not help wishing to be
kept after school. | have always
made you trouble, haven't l? l can't
tell why, only that could not bear to
be unnoticed by YOU, and l wanted
you to think of me, even us q bother
and a trouble to YOU
(! Bcrta looked up at her tall pupil, her
eyes alght with loving mischief
It's perfectly ridiculous. isn't it.
Horacc-my falling in love with one of
my own bad boys, and Squcedunker
at that! What will Aunt Marie say!'
He did not come to school any more
that term. The children never found
out exactly how he was punished. but
supposed that, being too big to ferule,
the little teacher had expelled him.
F AT the grand concert which wound
up the singing-school Tryphena and
Tryphosa nudged each other in the
ribs, and nodded significantly when
Berta and Horace stood up together to
sing their duet.
Must be they've made up" one viz
gin sister whispered to the other; lust
like Horace Gray to 90 and marry this
highty-tighty city gir'!''
/ Berta's wedding outfit was simple
and inexpensive. Those who knew,
said it could not have cost more than
$40, but she looked as winsome Il bride
rs ever the sun shone on when, in June.
she gave her life into the keeping Of
Horace Gray.
Berta knew how she paid for her
pretty trosseau-and so do we.
! "a girls freak her friends called
it, but Berta can never be persuaded
that fate was not in it after all.-N. Y.
Ledger.