The Forrest City times., 1903-12-25

dnIlN.
 Cant I drive. please. Mir. Lecerf, while you smoke?"
 You don mind tobacco? No?"
 No, indeed, don't mind" she as- sured, taking possession of the lines he passed over to her.
 NJ. Lecerf smiled indulgently at her eagerness, and rolled cigarette. 'I don know it hurts if you don smoke too moch." He said in a tone of apology. You like to driver"
 Yes, indeed"
 Margaret's mirth stirred rebelliously. She began to chatter gayly, and though out of respect to her. NJ. Lecerf muffied his mighty ha-ha, her own laughter rang out unrestrained. And this merry mood was not dampened by her reception. for madam, in her relief to find that the teacher was not man, was gracious to gleefulness, and as the long line of clumsily shod days faded from her fu- ture she joyously resolved to break in on the setting she was saving, and give the new teacher fried eggs for supper.
 The school having thus opened with eclat. run smoothly through the first four weeks. Miss Margaret grew bright eyed and rosy-cheeked from much walk ing among the pines and faithful doing of her daily mead. Smiles came easily to her lips and songs fingered there.
 She sang often. Too often it would seem after that Sunday when she came in from stroll and found a handsome lad smoking cigarettes on the front gal lery for Mare's benefit. Marie intro duced him shyly as NJ. Phillipe and the boy greeted her with fine French grace, throwing away his cigarette and prof fering his chair. Margaret sat down to chat little, thinking to please Marie. Mallieureux! that a woman should be so dull of wit.
 But she pleased M. Philipe! Oui, vraiment. Such a combination of blue eyes, white brow, pink cheeks and fluffy hair had never before entered M Phil lipe's ken. When he told her good-by he promised to bring her mail next Sun day. And next Sunday he brought it. Margaret went out to thank him, and stopped to chat little. She was so anX- ious to be polite to Maries friend, and show him that she appreciated his cour- tesy. Which was all very well. But when she went back to her room, Nj. Philippe talked to Marie about her which was all very bad, stupid. Voila, To talk to ones sweetheart about anoth- CT woman. And then, which was still more stupid, he brought the teachers mail one day when 1t was not Sunday. He and the teacher sat down on the gal lery to chat while he waited for mon- sieur to come in, and Marie came up the branch with the weeks wash in a tub on her head and found them there The teacher looked fresh. dainty; she wet, toil-stained. An Sacre!
 The next day Marie was sullen at school, and all Marie's little brothers, taking their tone from Marie. were sul- len also. The teacher tried patience ln vain. She resorted to discipline, and all Marie's cousins-c'est a dire, the whole school-joined in the insurrec- tion. The big girls rose as one man. Rivalries among themselves? Mais oul! But no outsider should poach up- on their preserves, teacher or no teacher. At home they spoke openly of leaving school, and little brothers and sisters, true to the lead. told tales of pedagogic injustice narrowing to hear. Every twilight witnessed the roasting of Miss Margaret upon a dozen well-scrubbed doorsteps. Monsieur alone stood firm. shaking bis head with good-natured in- credulty at the startling reports and silencing all protests with his powerful:
 "Das all right; das all right. Mees ar'git git good tetch, yas. Good tetch" But presently the discouraged droop of the young teachers shoulders when he overlook her on the road from school one hot afternoon moved the big man to more active measure
 Good even, Mees Mar'git. How's school getting on?" he sung out. cheer fly, as he swung from saddle ana turned to walk beside her
 Pretty we'll" She looked up brave ly, but that broad indulgent smile claimed its usual tribute of confidence
 The children don't seem to like me any more, she faltered
 T know, me, he said, soothingly. but das all right. Beeg gals get cranky some times. Don like people to talk to des young fellows. Nick 'em mad, yas, But das all right Me and Sylvan been talk bout it. He say hees gal tell him school goin' be shot op. But I tell him. me, if does beeg gals don watch out, des be shop op. das what And Sylvan laugh. Say 'Das right, yas.' Das all right. sho.'
 The big man laughed his big ha-ha as he climbed back into saddle and then leaned down to Margaret with a twinkle in his kind eyes. Better let me bring your mail. eh, Mees Mar'git?"
 I'll be ever so much obliged" she flashed up to him. with swift compre- hension.
 "Das all right. yas Das all right" and to his horse: "Allons, cheval. alIons."
 Miss Margaret was very matter-of- fact when she addressed Morto I o,,;..