The new enterprise. (Madison, Fla.) 1901-1908, 1907-03-14
Little Unlucky Stars.
By Irene Harrington Wright.

Nora" said her father one day at
luncheon, as the little girl finished
goful rehearsal of some misfortune
which had happened TO her that morn.
Ing at school, "I'h afraid you were
born under an unlucky star. In fact,
under a whole constellation of un.
lucky stars. never saw such child
be added turning to pretty Mrs. STAN
ton, who sat opposite to him at the
, table pouring Nora's chocolate, "she
seems to be constitutionally unlucky."
"Yes," laughed Mrs Stanton, gaz-
ING affectionately at the child's freckl-
ed face, with its pretty frame of cop
per-colored curls, Mora does seem
to be fated." Then, as she saw Nora's
mouth begin to CULVER with the incom-
prehensibility of the grown-up criti-
cism, she added, with her caressing
smile, But don't you worry, daughter
mine; just be mothers sweet little
Nora, and we'll try to get along in
spite Of those malicious little twink
lers."
Z Nora, OF course, did not understand
what all this meant. She couldn't in
the least see what stars that were
way up in the sky had to do with
ones getting zero in arithmetic, or
having ones pencil box taken away
for dropping it on the door six times,
or not being able to remember the
fnnito1 ~ South no1ynto IN nyanain
ton when you had studied 1t hard |
until bedtime the night before and |
said it over and over again to your
self on the way to school that morn.
ing-or-but Nora was obliged to give |
up In despair when 1t came to remem |
bering all her mishaps-there were
so many. Every day something went |
wrong with her, and then Miss Spar
row, who was too good and kind ever
TO be cross, would look grieved and
sorry, and Morals heart would almost
break. For next to her pretty mother.
whom she adored, Nora's sweetfaced, !
gentle little teacher was the idol of
her heart.
There was one person whom the
little girl, in spite of her sunny, low
ng nature, disliked and dreaded. This
vas Miss Diker, the lady principal of
ne primary department. She was a
'evere woman, tall and angular, with
hair, which she wore
trained back from her sallow face
n hard knot, and yellow eyes as
narp as an eagles, which were al
ways ferretting out some unfortunate
fctim to swoop down upon and crush
Nth the wrath of her dicipline. Her
'hole idea of child nature was that
was something expressly created
Or her to punish and intimidate She
'as the terror of the school and the
cry harpy of Nora's life. Reared in
happy, pleasant home, the only child
doting, intelligent parents, she was
uerly at loss to understand the
'eatment she saw melted out to cul-
rits at Miss Diker's hands. So far
ne herself had managed to escape ,
he dreaded talons Of the lady prin-
pal, but the fear Of the woman was
eep-seated In her child's heart, and
he never saw her that she did not
astily turn a corner to avoid her ,,
ercing eyes. No matter what she
as doing she felt that Miss Diker
ould find something wrong in it.
she escaped whenever she could.
this one respect the little unlucky
ars that her father was always jok-
g about had not exercised their bale i
influence over her. !
Miss Sparrow had been promoted !
th Nora for three terms now, and
e child and the little soft-eyed teach.
were the best of friends. For the
Jung woman, herself scarcely more '
an a girl, understood the childs :
wing, warm-heartedness and gentle,
nsitiye nature.
IL was the custom on Monday morn. I
IS for the entire school to gather II
The great central or assembly hall,
II was called, for exercises" 1t Il
Is something to which Nora always h
'ked forward from week to week. X
% liked the music and thrilling pat n
,uc songs. and, above all, the
leces" which the older children re. II
ed on the long. low platform which b
across the front Of the big room. c.
on this particular Monday morning a
sat up straight on her little bench. Is
: hands clasped tightly in her lap,