The Owosso times. (Owosso, Mich.) 1897-1926, 1905-10-13
That Frivolous
Miss Bell
By JEANETTE SCOTT BENTON
Copyright. 1905. by Jeanette Scott Benton

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discussion was the hiring of an assist
ant Latin teacher in the high school.
"Of course, professor, you under
stand,' the chairman explained, "that
the necessity for new teacher rising
as 1T does in the school year gives us
very little choice. The board, however.
has decided unanimously upon Miss
Daisy Bell, room Z, of the Oak street
school. What do you think of her?"
Professor Leigh frowned. my actu-
al knowledge of Miss Bells attain
ments is limited, but she is a frivolous
looking young woman. To me she
seems rather impossible Latin teach
err. Her name, Daisy Bell, in the fac
ulty would almost lower it's tone"
He glanced around and caught the
covert amusement of his auditors, his
lean young face set in stern disap-
prevail. To Professor Leigh life was
real and earnest"
He writhed under the frivolity and
laxity of those latter days. The light
ness and love Of display shown by the
majority of his feminine acquaintance
annoyed him. Women were sadly de-
generating, in his opinion, and he was
only thirty years old.
Il know" he said stifily, my objec-
ton is unusual, but the girls Of the
high school run to too much frivolity
themselves. Their teachers should be
Of another type, If there is any. They
even have way Of wearing their
hair in a sort of arch over their faces
so that In profile you can barely see the
tips Of their noses. That Miss Bell
wears hers very much the same way"
The board relaxed decidedly. Pro-
fessor Leigh regarded them In stern
perplexity.
Il confess" the chairman remarked,
that we have not particularly consid-
cred Miss Bells appearance. She grad
uated last year with unusual Latin
recommendations. AS for her ability
as q teacher, the work in room Z Of
the Oak street school is not easy, and
she has succeeded there. OF course if
she is not satisfactory, professor, other
arrangements can be made for next
year."
The professor arose. my objections
to Miss Bell" he said, ''are of course
theoretical" He smiled a smile Of
such entire confidence and good fell
lowship that it was easy to understand
his hold on the high school in spite of
his priggishness. "And if you say try
her. l shall do it with confidence in
your Judgment --,
Which was not quite true, for every
day his soul arose in disapproval
against Miss Daisy Bell. "What could
there be in a girl with such pink and
white face fuffed around with such a
mop Of yellow hair and such an i'm
preston of frills and fancy things all
about her" He trembled, too, for her
influence in the school. The girls
seemed so infatuated with her. How
could she teach Latin? 1t was almost
against natural law.
Miss Bell grew red and white under
his scrutiny in the Latin class, for he
came in frequently during the first
months recitatons.
At last he was obliged to admit that
she could teach Latin fairly well, but
he resented it. He hated Inconsistency.
She gradually became the trial of his
life, and he always tried to make her
as inconspicuous as possible. During
the annual visitation of teachers he
skillfully steered them away from Miss
Daisy's classes. She was a blot on the
Al nd 10Th cto nf hn-
loved school. 1t would shake the con-
idence of any sensible person to see a
girl like that on the staff Of teachers.
AS for Miss Daisy, she tried her best
to please the stern young man. She
didn't have any trouble with her
classes. The girls were obedient and
the boys were gentlemen.
But she could not understand Pro-
fessor Leigh. She curled her hair In
Its prettiest fashion and worked her
hardest In school, but she could not
melt his uncompromising disapproval.
She trembled for her Position the fol.
lowing year 1t meant bread and but
ter and paying what she owed for her
course at the university.
In view of this contingency her pres
ent bread and butter was Of the cheap
est, and she turned and pressed and
darned her frivolous little frocks and
stuck q bow here and trimmed In q
lacy frill there to hide the bad spots
that the bright spring sunshine was
making 80 apparent
1t was nearly O'clock one evening
when Miss Daisy discovered that by
some mischance she had overlooked
part Of her Latin examination papers.
They had to be graded that night, so
she threw little shawl over her shoul-
ders. 81 Will have to go over after
them" she murmured. She ran across
the street to the dark, silent building.
The hall looked terribly big and dark,
and she fairly flew up the stairs into
the Latin recitation room. She lighted
several matches and finally succeeded
In finding the missing papers. The
shadows piled menacingly in the cor
ners, and she was sure she heard a
noise somewhere in the building.
She fed In little panic from the
room to the stairs. Halfway down she
saw some one advancing toward her
from the gloom below. She gave lit
tie shrek, then slipped and fell head
long. She heard a smothered exclama-