The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1903-10-04
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OF flfty-nine other first readers, pointed
q condemning forennger at the miserable
little object standing In front of her plat
form and said: You will stay after
school. Emma Louise. that may exam
Inc further into your qualifications for
tki5 grade
Now, Emmy Lou had no Idea what It
misunderstanding further into your quail
ifcations for this grade" 1t might be
the form OF punishment In vogue for tho
chastisement OF the members of the first
reader But stay after school, she did
understand, and her heart sank and her
| little breast heaved.
It was then past the noon recess. In
those days, In this particular city, school
closed at half-past l. At last tho bell
for dismissal had rung. The large lady,
aims folded across her bombazine bosom.
had faced the class. and with awesome
solemnity had already enunciated AT
tention," and sixty little people had sat
UP straight, when the door opened and
teacher from the floor above came In
At her whispered confidence the large
lady left the room hastily, while the
strange teacher, with hurried "one-two
| three, march out quietly, children"
turned and followed her. And Emmy Lou,
left sitting at her desk. saw through gath
ering tears the line of first readers wind
around the room and file out the door, tho
sound of their departing footsteps along
the bare corridors and down the echoing
| stairway coming back like knell to her
sinking heart. Then class after class
| from above marched past the door and on
! Its gathering way, while voices from out
side, shrill with the JOY of the release.
came up through the open windows in
| talk. in laughter, together with the patter
| of feet on the bricks Then as these
familiar sounds grew fewer. fainter, far
| Their away. some belated footsteps went
| echoing through the building door
slammed Observation-Disclosures
Emmy Lou waited She wondered how
long it would be. There was watermelon
at home for dinner; she had seen 1t borne
| In, a great, striped promise OF ripe and
| Juicy lusciousness, on the marketman's
| shoulder before she came to school. And
| here tear, long gathering, splashed
| down the pink cheek.
| Still that awesome parsonage presiding
| over the fortunes of the first readers fall
ed to return. Perhaps this was "the ex-
animation into-into-" Emmy Lou could
not remember what-to be left in this
| big bare room with tho flies dronlng and
humming In lazy circles UP near the
ceiling. The forsaken desks. with a for
] gotten book or slate left here and there
| upon them, the pegs around the wall
empty of hats and bonnets, the unoccu-
pied chair upon the platform-Emmy Lou
| gazod at these with sinking sensation
| of dissolution, wEile tear followed tear
| down her chubby face. And listening to.
| the flies and the silence. Emmy Lou be-
| gan to long for even tho bombazine
| presence. and dropping her quverng
| countenance upon her arms folded upon
| the desk she sobbed aloud. But the time
| was long, and the day was warm. and
the sobs grew slower and tho breath be-
gan to come in long-drawn, qulvering
signs, and the next Emmy Lou knew
she was sitting upright trembling in
| every limb, and some one coming up the
stairs-she could hear the slow. heavy
| foot falls, and moment after she saw
| the man--the recess man, the low, black
| bearded. black-browed, scowing man
| with the broom across his shoulder, reach
the hallway. and make toward the open
doorway OF the first reader room. Emmy
| Lou held her breath. Stitched her little
body, and-waited. But the man pausing
to light his pipe. Emmy Lou. in tho sud
| den respite thus afforded, slid In trem-
| bling heap beneath the desk and on
hands and knees went crawling across
| the floor. And as Uncle Michael came
In, moment after broom. pan and
| feather duster in hand the last flutter-
| Ing edge of little pink dress was dis
| appearing into notwithstanding q
appearing into tho depths OF the big.
empty coal box. and its sloping lid was
lowering upon flaxen head and COVER
| ing little figure crouched within. Uncle
| Michael having put the room to rights,
| sweeping and busting, with many rheu-
| matte groan In accompaniment closed the
| windows, and going out, drew the door
| after him and, as was his custom, lock-
ed It.
Meanwhile. at Emmy Louis home the
| elders wondered. You don't know Emmy
| Lou" Aunt Cordeia, round. plump, and
CHEEKY, insisted to tho lady visitor spend
| ing the day; EMMY Lou never loiters.'
| Aunt Katie, tho prettiest auntle. cut
! off thick round of melon as they arose
from the table. and put 1t in the refrig-
| orator for Emmy Lou. ut seems q joke"
| she remarked, "such baby as Emmy
Lou going to school. anyhow; but then
| she has only square to go and come"
But Emmy Lou did not come. And by
half-past 9 Aunt Louise, the youngest
aunte. started out to find her. But as
| she stopped on the way at the houses of
| all the neighbors to Inquire, and ran
arount the corner to Cousin Tom Mack
| Inns to see II Emmy Lou could be there.
and then, being but a few doors off, went
on around that corner to Cousin
l. Amanda's. the school-house, when she
finally reached 1t, was locked up, with
the blinds down ut every front WlndoW as
IL 1t had closed It's eyes and gone to
sleep. Uncle Michael had II way Of
cleaning and locking tho front of the
building first. and going in and out at
tho back doors. But Aunt Louise did
not know this, anu, anyhow. she was
I sure that she would find Emmy Lou au
home when she got there.
hut Emmy Lou was not at home, and
it being now we'll on In tho afternoon.
Aunt Katie and Aunt Louise and the lady
visitor and the cook all started out In
search, while Aunt Cordelia sent the
house boy down town for Uncle Charlie.
Just as Uncle Charlie arrlved-and It
was past o'clock by then-some OF the
children OF the neghborhood. having
found small boy living sonic squares
4 off who confessed to being In the first
reader with Emmy Lou, arrived also,
with the small boy in 10Y,
"She didn't know dog from frog
when she saw en-" stated The small boy.
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