The Kimball graphic. (Kimball, Brule County, Dakota [S.D.]) 1883-1905, 1903-05-08

Meht, mean TO Try IL lo-nlSht.
An audible gasp broke from twenty
pairs of lips, aud Horace Gray, with Il
hot flush on his face, and his eyes down
cast. looked at the palm of his large
hand. with a queer, little smile lurking
about his mouth.
The school was dismissed, and 10
amazed urchins dispersed to their
homes to tell the news;
Teachers going to whip Horace
Gray!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 as she took her
ferule from her desk. Her voice
tremblcd.
Horace Gray, come herem
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 once-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 arc too big, but l am not
afraid of you. 1t would be shameful
to strike you. 1t would humilate me
as much us on. What shall [ do with
You. You great, unruly fellow"
he raised his eyes and looked ut her
his whole heart in his eyes and on his
lips:
Love me- he said, and be my
wifeP'
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 in her eyes, Il quiver of her lips,
4 palirg 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 homeward
in the dusk, he said:
II was bad purposely, Berta-I
longed for YOU to punish me. l 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 I wanted
you to think of me, even us 4 bother
and 4 trouble to YOU !
Berta looked up ut her tall pupil, her
eyes alight with loving mischief.
ttJfsS ,H,,,f,,tly- ,;J;,,,I,,, ....l "a
Horace-my falling in love with one Of
my W bad boys. and a Squeedunker
at that! What will Aunt Marie say!"
dc 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 ferulc,
the little teacher had expelled him.
AT the grand concert which wound
up the singing-school Tryphena and
Iryphosa 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 vir-
gin sister whispered to the other; Just
like Horace Gray to go and marry this
highty-tighty city girl"
Bertass 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
us ever the sunshone 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.-M. Y.
Ledger.