The San Francisco call., 1909-02-27
Wax KING ISHOT [UP LIKE AISTONE.

MAX KING SHOT I
their curiosity frozen into fear, shud-
dered at the anger in the tone. They
had never seen the pedagogical tenn
per beyond the owners control Ro-
sella closed her eyes and awaited the
blow, clutching the tiny bit of linen
paper in two clenched hands. The
teachers surprise at her resistance
curdled into rage and she started to-
ward the covering little figure. The
universe Of dawn tinted fancies
crumbled into bits.
Swallow it," whispered Max King,
but his expert advice came too late.
Miss Bowman's overangry fingers grip
ped the obstinate, white knuckled lit
tie fists.
Give it TO me-" she threatened low.
but the small digits did not relax.
Rosella felt her blood chill as she rea-
lized that the strongest must conquer.
Her heart stopped as she felt the tiny
oblong move from her grasp; her slim
body stiffened into one boundless i'm
pulse of hatred for her tormentor.
I'll teach you to resist mel" breath
lessly. I shall read this to the claSsi'
One inarticulate sob, two little hands
pressed tight over mutinous lips, two
pleading pain stabbed eyes awaited
the invasion into her holy of holies.
Only nervously angry school teacher
could have failed to read tragedy in
the miserable face.
MY Dearest Rose of Roses" read
the icy voice. with its touch of scorn.
The class giggled half Historically.
The lump of ice in the little sweet
hearts throat choked her. and the ball
OF fire in the back OF her neck throbbed
and burned.
who is this from?" demanded the
TO curiosity. No reply from the little
bunch Of wretchedness, so the avenger
read on
why do you not smile at me in the
halls? Surely, dearest one, your heart
has told you who / am. Have you
never guessed who your true lover
really is7"
Even in her misery Rosella's foolish
heart leaped TO the tender words. In
all this wilderness of woe there was
one who loved her.
$50 it is a case of puppy love-
sneered the trainer of the young idea.
The class wavered between the avenger
and the avengee in its sympathy. Max
King stifened in his seat, his sober
face looking strangely at variance
with his crinkling brown hair, jaunty
and irresponsible above his wrinkled
forehead. Rosella almost laughed in
her sorrow, he looked so like "nigger
shooter" pulled taut, ready to go off.
From habit she compared him with
her dream lover, and even in her woe
she gloried in the possession of SO
noble a sweetheart.
THE season of sweethearting seems
TO be upon US" snapped the voice at
the desk; IL suppose 'twosing' will
now be the order of the day. / must
admit. however. that of all the silly,
sentimental, sloppy, love letters 1 have
ri q a
teacher this is the worst"
With each sibilant adjective the lit
tie freshman cringed: her dream had
been so sacred. so precious. so care
fully guarded. With the last words of
the reader the crinkly head of Max
King shot up like a stone from a cat
apult, and eager to defend the op-
pressed, he exclaimed
'Oh. ii isn't love letter at all, Miss
Bowman. It's only a joke"
Rosella's mouth few wide open; her
eyes stared. The teacher smiled in
credulously.
Your gallantry is expended on be-
half of a most unworthy object, Max.
Sit down"
But Miss Bowman. know. listen
let me tell
you can hardly hope to save Rosella
from the consequences of her Stiffness
by lying in her favor"
I'm not lying; I know. My own
sister wrote those notes." gasped the
lad in resentment and excitement.
Rosella sat up straight.
1T was all a joke. My big sister,
Hilda, sits in that seat the period be-
fore this. She put the first note there
for a Joke. Seniors think it is smart
to play tricks on the freshmen. When
Rosella took il for earnest Hilda kept
it up. So il is no puppy love, and you
weren't fair to Rosella. and that's all
the further I'll tell you
The breathless lad sank sweating
into his seat, exhausted from his un-
usual oratorical effort. He did. how
ever, look over to the lady he had
championed. She tried to pull her
white lips into a smile of thanks The
little rosebud had wilted and dropped
under the first attack on her hearts
secret; it hung withered and bIighted
at this last revelation. The sun had
fallen out of the universe, and the
downy clouds and golden star dust
turned to ashes. No loverl No tender
sweetheart! A jokei cruel jokel
Under her breath she moaned ''Oh, oh,
ohi'' and hid her shamed face in her
years of university and two years of
postgraduate work frequently fail to
develop a sense of humor.
'sYou are telling me the truth. Max"
Max disclaimed all spiritual relation
ship with Ananias.
In that case I shall turn the matter
over to the principal Hilda is IN
another class, so ] have no Jurisdiction
over her case. I regret, beyond words
to express. the fact that one of our
number could so far forget herself as to
openly defy authority
The bell. with it's deafening whir,
cut short the disquisition and an
nounced the end of the period and
the afternoon dismissal time
THE class may pass. Rosella, have
a word to say to you"