Wausau pilot. [volume] (Wausau, Wis.) 1896-1940, 1903-02-10

happiness was complete. In a counts
neighborhood every item of news, how
eve slight. spreads rapidly, ard the fact
ina 81 ives 20 each soon became -sner-
ally known. Creating quite sens ition.
Une old gentleman, who, times iPaumer-
able. had held me Oh as knee, feeding
my vanity with fiattery, ana In. stomach
with sweetmeats. was quite as much de-
lighted as l, declaring he always knew
was destined to make somett ing great"
Aunt Sally Wright, who looked upon me
as a pert, forward piece" gave her
opinion freely. What That young one
keep SCHOOL, Is Deacon Lee crazy?
Amt Rosa stuck up enough now? But
never mind; you'll see she won't keep cut
moren half her time. if she does that"
Mrs. Captain Thompson. who was bless
ed with an overwhelming sense Of pro-
priety, was greatly shocked, saying
shed always thought Mr.. Randall knew
just enough to hire child" and consol-
ing herself with the remark that sit was
not at all probable I'd get a certificate"
On this point 1 was myself a little
fearful. True, / had been "sent away
to school, and had been flattered into
the belief that possessed far more book
knowledge than did; but this ! knew
would avail me nothing with the formid-
able committee who held my destiny in
their hands. | ransacked the cupboard,
where our school books were kept, all Of
which were for days my constant COM
panions, and l even slept with one or
more of them under my pillow, so that
with the earliest dawn | could study. /
was just beginning to feel strong in my
own abilities, when one Monday morn
ing news was brought us that at three
O'Clock that afternoon all who We're in
tending to teach were to meet at the
house of the Rev. Mr.. Parks to be ques-
toned of what they knew and what they
didn't know. / was further informed
that as there had the year previous been
some trouble among the school inspectors,
the town had this year thought to obyi-
ate the difficulty by electing ninei
One was bad enough; but at the
thought of nine men in spectacles my
heart sunk within. me. In the midst of
our trouble, Aunt Sally, whose clothes on
Monday morning were always swinging
on the line before daylight. came in, and
after learning what was the cause of my
flushed cheeks, said, by way of comfort
ing me, that 'she didn't wonder or atom
if ! felt streaked, for 'twan't no ways
likely I'd pass.'
This reused my pride, and with the
mental comment that I'D pass for all
her." l got myself in readiness, Juliet
lending me her green veil, and Anna her
fine pocket handkerchief. while mothers
soft, warm shawl was wrapped lovingly
about me, and Lizzie slipped into my
pocket the Multiplication Table, which
she thought l might manage to look at
slyly in case of an emergency On our
way father commenced the examination
by asking me the length of the Missis
sippi, but l didn't know as it had a
length, and in despair he gave up his
questioning.
When, at last. the examination COM
menced, l found, TO my great delight,
that geography was the subject intro
duced, and my heart beat high, for l
thought of the pages l could repeat and
ardently ionged for a chance to display!
Unfortunately for me, they merely ques
toned us from the map, and breathlessly
I awaited my turn. At length the young
lady who sat next to me was asked,
What tx rivers unite and form the
Ohio" 1 oked at her sideways. The
bloom deepened on her cheek, and | was
sure she had forgotten. Involuntarily l
felt tempted to tell her, but did not, and
Mr.. Parks, looking inquiringly at Inc.
said, Perhaps the next one can. Ahem!"
| spoke out loudly and distinctly, ".Alle-
ghany and Monongahela," glancing at my
father just in time to catch nod of
encouragement.
1.-THE Nine" were taken by surprise,
md instantly three pairs of eyes with
glasses and six pairs without glasses
were brought to bear upon ne, For rea-
sons best known to themseh es, they ask
ed me great variety of questions, all of
which / answered cerrectly-at least,
they made no comment, and were evil
IDENTIFY vastly amused with their new
specimen, asking me how old ] was. and
exchanging smiles at my reply, "Thir-
teen, four weeks ago to-day" One of
my fellow-teachers, who sat near me,
whispered to her next neighbor, ''She's
older than that, | know" for which le-
mark I've never quite forgiven her.
Arithmetic was the last branch introduce
ed, and as mathematics was rather my
forte. | had now 40 fears of failing-but
l did! A question in decimals puzzled
me, and coloring to my temples, replied.
II don't know" while two undeniable
tears dropped into my lap.
ITO be continued.l