Chicago eagle. [volume] (Chicago, Ill.) 1889-19??, 1903-02-14
CHAPTER v.--(ContinucdJ


window, and on pushing aside the cur
tain ! saw that the dark. heavy clouds
betokened dull. rainy day. lnvoluu-
tarily, l thought Of the old garnet Mt
home, where. on such occasions. We NJ.
ways resorted, raising Cain generally
az Sally said; aud when. with umbrella.
blanket shawl, and Overshoes. l started
for school, I looked and felt forlOrn III
deed. Raining as 1t was. II did not pre-
vent Mrs. Ross from coming out with
the tablespread over her head to tell me
that though she never wnrn't an atom
particular, and never meant to interfere
with teachers, ms she knew just what 1t
was, she did hope Id give lsick the seat,
and not be partial to George Randall"
When ! reached the school house
found George transferring his hooks to
another part Of the room, at the nane
time telling lsaoc he could have the
disputed seat II he wanted IT," With the
right kind Of training and influence Isaac
would have been fine boy. for there
were In his disposition many noble traits
Of character, and when he saw how read
ny George gave up the seat. he refused
to take It. snying "he didn't care where
he sat--One place was as good rs nm
other"
That dry was long and dreary enough.
Not more thah half the children were
there, and | found 1t exceedingly tire
some aud monotOnOus sitting IN that
hard. splint-bottomed chair. and telling
Emma Fitch and Sophia Brown. for the
hundrelth time. that the round letter was
20" nnd the crooked one -" The schol-
ars, too. began to grow noisy. aud to nsk
me scores Of useless questions. Their
lessons were half learned: and IL I Dia,le
a suggestion. l was quickly informed
that their former teacher didn't do 10.
Before night inconsistencies began 10
creep over me, and had II not been for
The mud should probably have footed Il
to Sunny Bank. just before school was
out, little boy cried to 20 home. md
this was the one straw too many. Hast.
lily Diminishing the scholars. l turned to-
ward the window. and my tears fell 10
fast as did the rain In the early morning.
THE schoolmn' nm's cryin', she is.
saw her." circulated rapidly among the
children. who all rushed back to ascer.
tain the truth for themselves.
II should think she would cry" said
one Of the girls to her brother. you've
acted ugly enough to make anybody cry;
and II you don't behave better to.nor-
row, Jim Maxwell. III tell MOTHER
After the delivery Of this speech, the
entire group moved AWAY, leaving me
alone; nnd sure am there wns never u
more homcsick child thun was the one
who, with her head lying upon the desk,
sat there weeping In that low. dirty
school room, Oh that dark. rainy utter.
noon. Where now was all the happiness
had promised myself In tcnchingI Alas!
II was rapidly disappearing, and | was
just making up my mind to brave the rid
icule Of Sunny Bank and give up my
school mt once, when a hand was laid
very gently Oh my shoulder, and voice
partially familiar said:
"What'S the matter, Rosn?"
So absorbed was l In my grief that
had not heurd the sound Of footsteps,
and with start Of surprise I looked up
and met the serene. handsome eyes Of
Doctor Clayton. He had been to visit u
patient, and was on his way home when.
seeing the door MAR, he had come In.
hoping to find me there: but ! did not
expect this" he continued, pointing to
the tears on my cheek. "What IL the
matter? Don't the scholars behave well,
or are you homcsicky"
At this question l began to cry 40 clio.
lently that the doctor. after exhaust
oil his powers Of persuasion, finally laid
his hand sOothingly on my rough. tangled
curls ere l could be induced to STOP
Then, when I told him how disappointed
was, how wished ! had never tried
u teach, and how meant to give 1t up.
he talked to me 10 kindly. no brother.
like, still keeping his hand on my shoul.
der, where II had fallen when I lifted up
my head, that ! grew very calm. think.
Ing ! could stay In that gloomy room for.
ever u he were only there! He was, M
] have said before. very handsome, and
his manner was NO very fascinating nnd
his treatment Of me 80 much like whit
fancicd Charles would be, were he a
Erown.up man and I little girl, that
began to like him very. very much, think.
ing then that my feeling for him was
such as a child would entertain for a
father. for I Ind heard that he was TWEEN.
ty.seven, aud between that and thirteen
there was, In my estimation, IN inlpass,,-
BILE gulf.
II wish ! had my buggy here" he said
at last, "for then l could carry you
home. You'll wet your feet, and Won
ought not to walk. Suppose you ride In
my lap; but no." he added, quickly,
you'd better not. for Mrs. Thompson,
and Mother Ross would make Il neigh.
bOrhOOd talk"
There was wicked look In his eve
% he said this, and secretly wondered
u he entertained the same opinion Of
Dell that he evidently did of her sis.
ter. At length, shaking my hand, he bid
me goodbye, telling me that the exnmin.
Ing committee hnd placed mo and INV
school In his charge. and that he should
probably visit me officially on Thursday
Of the following week. Like very fool.
ish child. l watched him until turn In
the road hid him from view. and then,
With feeling | could not analyhc, l
started for my boarding place. thinking
that II I gave up my school should wait
until after Thursday,
In the doorway, with her sleeves rolled
up above her elbows, and her hair, rs
she herself said, Int skies and sevens,"
was Mrs. Ross, who, after informing ne
that 1T had been a desput rainy day."
asked If ! knew whether Doctor Clayton
had been to Captain Thompson'sI"
There was no reason why I should
blush ut this question, but ! did. though
my sunbOnnet fortunately concealed the
fact from my interrogation, who. without
waiting for an answer, continued:
He drove past here about fifteen min
utes ago, and ! guess he's been spark'n'
Dell"
1t must have been an evil spirit sure
" which prompted my reply that "he had
been ut the school house with me-"