Los Angeles herald., 1905-11-26
Concerning
a Time Piece

Minnie Browns right foot began
to get restless at twenty minutes of 3.
Elsie Bonner's left foot found it inn
possible to keep still after a quarter to
3. Jeanette Duncan's right arm be-
came so nervous by ten minutes of :
that she couldn't keep her thimble on.
Della Desmond's left hand wobbled
so that at five minutes of she dropped
her work right out of her hand. Three
O'Clock struck and then suddenly Mary
Milford arose and deliberately threw a
large spool of embroidery silk across
the room. 1t struck the opposite wall,
made a terrific clatter in the quiet
room, fell to the floor and rolled into u
corner.
Miss Bloomsbury rose from behind the
large table at which she sat looking
over piles of sewing examples. Miss
Bloomsbury looked over her glasses.
Oh, what a look it was
Every girl in the room trembled.
Every eye was fixed eXpectantly on
Miss Bloomsbury.
"The sewing class will rise" said Miss
Bloomsbury. The class rose.
1.-THE sewing class will face me-" said
Miss Bloomsbury.
1t was quite unnecessary. Every face
was turned anXiously toward the plat
form.
1.-THE noise which just now disturbed
the room,' said Miss Bloomsbury, was
a most unusual one. / should like an
explanation. l wish the person who
was responsible for that noise to stand
out of line and explain what it was"
Miss Bloomsbury waited. She took
out her little gold watch, which was
beautiful with enamel and jewels. She
waited, looking at the watch. Then she
placed the watch on the desk. Then she
waited, looking at the girls.
Mary Milford was white and red by
turns. That looked suspicious. But ST
were all the rest of the girls. Miss
Bloomsbury wondered.
The little watch licked on. There was
such perfect silence that even its faint
voice could be heard. Miss Bloomsbury
waited still.
In the line of girls there was not a
sound, not a murmur. Suddenly Miss
Bloomsbury waited no longer. She
closed the little watch with a snap.
'The sewing class is dismissed" she
said sternly. Then she paused a mo-
ment
II will watt" she said, "to hear from
any membeD of the sewing class who
wishes to speak to me until o'clock
If do not hear from the member of the
sewing class who is responsible for the
noise this afternoon l will suggest that
the event of Thursday night be post
poned indefinitely"
The sewing class was mute. Miss
Bloomsbury gave the signal for them
to march out.
Once outside there was tumult. "Mear
old thing!" "Mean old thing." MARY
don't go near her" May really ought
to have told.' II do think Miss Blooms
bury is so unkind." This was some OF
the tumult. 1t was no wonder, for the
event of Thursday night, which was tc
be indefinitely postponed unless Mary
told, was the sewing fair to be given
for the benefit of the gymnasium.
And she really would stop it," cried
Minnie Brown, stamping the foot which
had got restless.
After we have gotten all the things
together said Elsie Bonner, kicking
with the foot that couldn't keep still.
"And sewed so hard for weeks" crieo
Jeanette Duncan, with a noble gesture
of the nervous right arm.
"And invited everybody" walled
Della Desmond, and she lowered hel
head deSpondently on the hand which
had dropped her work.
1T isn't that I am afraid of tht
punishment she would give me-" ex.
planned Mary.
"Oh, no." chorused the girls; 1--WE
know that, Mary"
Its just because" said Mary, "MisS
bloomsbury is always trying to get us
TO acknowledge our faults, and 1 hate
it. / would rather be found out anc
punished"
Mary Milford was queer. Some of the
girls thought she was a genius. Others
though she was just queer. But still
everybody sympathized with her now
Everybody knew how terrible it was tc
have to stand out in the line and say
81 did it,"
And yet the fair the fair, the fair
"Oh, WELL" said Bessie DAILY, philos-
ophically; I'VE can't help it now, and
Mary mustn't tell her. 1t would put us
more i'm her power than ever. We mus
all stand together whatever happens
Let's go down to the river and forget
it,"
The sewing class received this sug-
gestion joyfully. The oval was dowr
by the river. There was "A hasty
scramble for coats and hats and gloves
and footballs.
out filed the sewing class, cheerful
gay, lighthearted. The fair was for
gotten.
-Four O'Clock came. Miss Bloomsbury
read the weekly school reports. Five
o'clock came. II was growing much
too dark to read Miss Bloomsbury
turned on the light and looked appre,
hensively at her beautiful little watch
1t was so dark outside that the girls
kicking a football down on the oval
by the river could hardly distinguish
one another's faces. Half past O'Clock
came. The school lights beckoned
cheerfully. The football players raced
one another up to the house. Their
laughter echoed across the grounds
Rosy and smiling they dashed into the
hall. whats for supper?" they ques-
toned greedily.
HUH fish cakes and boiled bread and
milk" said the girl who was always
In the cooks secret.