The Calhoun chronicle. [volume] (Grantsville, W. Va.) 1883-1984, 1908-04-07

Nord, SAID her father one day at
luncheon, as the little girl finished n
woful rehearsal OF some misfortune
which had happened to her that morn
Ing at school, I'm afraid YOU were
born under an unlucky star. In fact.
under whole constellation of I'M
lucky stars l never saw such a child ="
ne 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 inconl-
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 Wen try to get along in
spite of those malicious little twink
lers."
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
Tor dropping it on the floor six times.
or not being able to remember the
capital of South Dakota in examina-
ton when you had studied 1t hard
until bedtime the night before and
said 1t 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 it 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 Nora's heart would almost
break. For next to her pretty mother.
whom she adored, Nora's sweet-faced.
gentle little teacher was the idol of
her heart.
There was one person whom the
little girl, in spite of her sunny. low
Ing nature, disliked and dreaded. This
was Miss Diker, the lady principal of
the primary department She was
severe woman, tall and angular, with
coal-black hair, which she wore
strained back from her sallow face
In hard knot, and yellow eyes as
sharp as an eagles, which we're al
ways ferretting out some unfortunate
victim to swoop down upon and crush
with the wrath of her dicipline. Her
whole idea of child nature was that
II was something expressly created
for her to punish and intimidate. She
was the terror of the school and the
very harry of Nora's life. Reared in
happy, pleasant home, the only child
OF doting, intelligent parents, she was
utterly at a loss to understand the
treatment she saw melted out to cul-
prits at Miss Diker's hands. So far
she herself had managed to escape
the dreaded talons of the lady prin.
cipal, but the fear of the woman was
deep-seated in her child's heart. and
she never saw her that she did not
hastily turn a corner to avoid her
piercing eyes. No matter what she
was doing she felt that Miss Diker
would find something wrong I'm it
so she escaped whenever she could.
In this one respect the little unlucky
stars that her father was always jok.
ing about had not exercised their bale.
full influence over her.
Miss Sparrow had been promoted
with Nora for three terms now. and
the child and tho little soft-eyed teach.
er we're the best of friends. For the
young woman, herself scarcely more
than a girl. understood the chiId's
loving warm-heartedness and gentle.
sensitive nature.
II was the custom on Monday morn.
ings for the entire school TO gather
In the great central or assembly hall
as II was called. for exercises" II
was something TO which Nora always
looked forward from week to week
She liked the music and thrilling pat.
riotic songs, and. above all. the
pieces which The older children re.
cited on the long. low platform which
ran across the front of the big room.
On this particular Monday morning
she sat uD straight on her little bench
her hands Ciasped tightly I'm her lap.
with round, staring eyes, and glowing
cheeks, and held her breath while
Freddie Jones, aged thirteen. recited
Paul Revere's Ride She thought
II wonderful. She was oblivlous to
Breddie's scarlet face and shifting
glance; she did not know that he
skipped a round dozen Of the lines.
and that his teacher. her hand over
her eyes, was blushing for the STAN
mering boy she had coaxed and eoold.
ed and struggled with until he knew
this same piece wrong side out" ne
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