Western liberal. (Lordsburg, N.M.) 1887-1919, 1905-07-21
Miranda's
Whims
By A ". DAVIES OGDEN
copn1gAl. lao.. bg 4. NJ .. 49,

lew not udla OF SUMMER. through the
open windows came glimpses Of green
wood ~bespcaklng a delicious coolneas
and the ripple Of brooks. but IN the
schOolrOom the air was undcniably
close. The scratch OF a pencil. the
shutting Of impatient little feet. the
drone OF a lazy bee. ali seemed TO in-
tensify the impression Of heat. and the
young schoolmaster stirred rostlessly.
II had meant a great deal to Peter
Raymond. securing the village school
at Wimbcrly. but he had not found his
task an easy one. Ills eyes. wandering
over the rows Of bent heads before him,
encountered the glance Of a girl seated
ear the door. The girl, one OF the old
er scholars. with q toss OF her curls.
returned 10 her book. and the trouble
In the sc-hOolmastor's face decpened.
Here was the crux OF the situation. II
he could win Miranda EIemming to his
side the remainder OF the pupils would
follow easily enough. But Il was Mi.
randa herself, with her great blue eyes.
fetching dimples and coqUcttiSh ways.
who openly led the revolt against him.
The teacher sighed again. Perhaps be
was too young.
From the very beginning Of his work,
however, Raymond had recognized the
primitive instinct Of hostility to the IN
known In the questioning eyes upliftcd
TO his own. Now, after five weeks, he
seemed no nearer the solution of his
w-.Nl.... FnaaaN v,uNeara .,nAar ATfvnV-
da's spirited guidance were becoming
even worse, despite his pointed ignor-
ing Of her mutiny. He touched the bell.
First class in grammar" he said.
Miranda, with several other girls, rang
ing from sixteen to eighteen. came
slowly forward. il was rather n try
ing recitation. Most Of the girls stun
bled. Miranda failed utterly, nor did
she care. To all his questions she III
swered with provoking nonchalance,
evidently Indifferent as to whether he
were pleased or not. Her rebellion had
never before been quite 80 openly man
ifest. A sudden line Of resolution
frightened the young mans mouth.
"You may return to your seats" he
said. "SIiss Miranda, l shall expect
you to remain after school until that
lesson is recited perfectly"
"what!' cried the girl. Involunta-
rily she fell back a step, hardly believ-
ing her own ears. That any one should
dare address her, Miranda HemmIng,
In such fashion! Raymond's expression
did not change.
"You heard what I said" he returned
quietly. ut should not take long"
For a momen Miranda, stupeied,
hesItated. then she hounced indignant
ly back to her seat. The whole school.
which had dropped all work to listen
20 the passage at arms between Mi
randa and the teacher. fairly shivered,
and Tom Carruthers, a big. loutish
chap Of nineteen, shot n sullen look at
Raymond. To scold Miranda! To the
Qulvering excitement OF the school, the
time until 4 o'clock appeared fairly to
ay. Would teacher really keep IN Mi
randa7
When the others arose. Miranda also
sprang to her feet. Then something I'm
the teachers expression caused her to
sink back In her seat, tingllng and
abashed. 1t took an unusually long
time for the pupils TO dispense that
day. but at last they were all gone.
you need not think that l shall
study that lesson" she declared with
sharp emphasis. Raymond nodded.
AS you please" be answered. "Only
here we both stay until you do"
"And I'm not to have any supperT'
i~ncredulously.
"Not until you learn that lesson"
But burst out Miranda furious
~. Then she closed her lips with a
nap and leaned back, her hands tenn
~pestuously folded before her. Ray
mond picked up a book.
'sTake POUR own time" be said pleas
antly.
But somehow the book did not prove
very e~nthralllng. Between his eyes and
the printed pages persisted the vision
OF a willful httls face set In Its tangle
OF wayy hair. Yet he must not be
beaten now. His whole future hung
on this issue, he thought. The shad-
ows heightened. the sun dropped be-
hind the hills. Miranda, whO for some
time had been stealing furtlye glances
At the quiet figure behind the big desk
smiled prettlly.
"Pm-Tm hungry" she wheedled.
For an instant Raymond wavored.
This new sweetness was strange and
alluring. But before he could speak
me door was flung open ana Tom Car
ruthers appeared on the threshold.
Bent ye comm home to supper,
Mirandyy" he depanded. yer ma sent
me fer ye." darling a suspicious look
at her jailer. "Ain't ye cOmln'7 I'll
look out fer ye."
why" began Miranda feebly. Ray
mond, a sudden. unaccountable resent
ment surging into his heart. frowned.
Miss Miranda Is In no need OF a
champion" he declared stihiy. "She
a leave when she chooses. You may
so" And Tom. after an %lnstant's
Soowling hesitation. went out, banging
b door. Miranda bit her lip.
Il viii never learn that lesson" she
repeated stubbOrnly.
There vas another long silence while
the shadows darkonad Al Inst the