Greene County herald. (Leakesville, Miss.) 1898-current, 1907-02-22

Gus. Like choir Of angels an
old lady whispered behind Martha.
There was nothing angelic about
it to Martha. She felt as If her spir-
itual ears were deafened. Every
thing fine and lofty had gone, with
her hope and courage Her heart
was full Of bitterness; she felt as if
she hated all the girls, especially the
popular one, Penelope Reese. She
went TO her room for a study hour,
| after the rehearsal was over. She
might have stayed away from that
rehearsal; she wished now that she
had, although music was her joy. She
roomed alone now. Cornelia West,
her roommate, had gone home on ac-
count of trouble with her eyes, Cor
nelia had had her own "set," and
Martha had seen but little Of her.
She was one of the gay girls, and as
frank, generally, as in the matter OF
the green and magenta hat. She had
not hesitated to eonfide to Martha
that she was lawfully queer" and
made her lonesome
Tap, tap, tap, at ker door, and a
gay girl-voice calling:
May 1 come in?" There was no
mistaking that voicei
Martha rose stifiy and opened the
door little ways. Penelope Reese
had a dreary frown between her pret-
ty brows and a woebegone expression
generally
Will you--oh, will you help me a
little with this dreadful geometry
she said, appealingly ~It's always
like Chinese puzzle to me, but to-
cay I am hopelessly befogged be-
cause-because Of something that
troubles me-,
4 Nartha's sullen lace was lifted in
quick surprise. She troubled? 1t
was the last thing one would have
thought:
+ If-if,I ca1 help you, of course i
am @illing," she said stifly.
+ What did Penelope Reese care for
her stiffness? She came in as il she
had received the most cordial of in
7vitatioas and pumped herself down
comfortably upon the couch.
It's just here that set up against
blank WALL" she said, reading des-
pai.ingly what seemed tc Martha. a
simple, yes. really quite q simple
,;eoisie,n. And yet it was difficult
enough .o give it zest and to make
Martha's heavy face tighten with
half unconscious Satisfaction. While
size Ianoriously Eiade the problem
plain. che almost lost her self-con-
seiorsaess III wonder at tho dullness
OF this bright girl.
81 knox you are wondering how I
can ue 50 stupid" said Penelope sud
denly; sbut you see mathematics
simply are not in me at ali. think
dc see through it now, you are such
q good teacherl You are one Of the
clever people who can do everything.
aren't you? And that S why you hold
yourself aloof from tho rest of us in
such superior wayr
That--that isn't true. You know
it isn't true!" Martha returned, her
face afiame. II live in North Argyle,
on a farm, and-and I'm different.
and yol laughed at me. oh, yes. you
6id."
oh, remember! was so sor-
gyl 1t wasn't at you, Il wes because
your hat was $3.50 gay, We should
not have done either, /. you hadn t
been 500 superior Anyway, don't
you think il is better to let little
things go and never mind them?
Didn't you laugh when read when
the old woman comes in. instead OF
when old age comes on in the
French class the other day. 1t was
funny. I'll admit. but the laugh hurt
me all the same. But never thought
of laying it up against you! Ny col
or sense is quicker than my literary
one and you are vice versa. which ac-
counts for your bad hat and my bad