Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1909-03-23
"ob," whispered sergia, in keen dis

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of 1t quicken to sudden resurrection ir
my heart? I Immediately felt an over
towering aversion to Miss Dee. Hel
yellowish eyes, set close to her long
symmetrical nose, flashed over the
bright girl-faces Of the class, lingering
longest, as it seemed, upon mine. Sht
had fine white, lady-hands, and
sweet, cultivated voice, and the i'm.
preston which she produced upon the
majority of the pupils was decidedly
favorable.
What do you think Of her, Hazel
dear?" said Sergia, as we went dowr
to the play ground at recess.
81 detest her!" I answered. "She is
what the Scotch call uncanny. AS
look at her, feel like shouting that
line from Milton:
"'Whence and what are thou""
HAS she a father,
Has she a brother?"
mimicked Sergia. ITO tell the truth,
do not admire her long, lean visage;
but be sure of one thing-madams as
sistants, like Caesars wife, must be
above suspicion. She would never en-
gage q teacher who did not come arm
ed with the best of credentials. Miss
Dee's presence in this establishment
is the best proof Of her respectability.
"Then madame has engaged her
permanently"
Yes, to teach drawing and mathe-
matics."
I confided my dislike of Miss Dee to
nobody but Sergia- Her resemblance
to some person that I had seen before
haunted and perplexed me. I rarely
spoke to her save at lass-time-l new
er approached her of my own will. She
treated me politely, indifferently-that
is, she neither sought nor repelled me
Her smooth, refined voice made me
shiyer. She was unobtrusive, gentle
amiable; but feared, distrusted-yes
hated her.
One day Miss Dee found Sergia Pole
in a corner Of the play ground, poring
over "Oliver Twist" and reported her
promptly to madame. AS all light
reading was forbidden in the school,
Sergia received sharp reprimand
which enraged her greatly.
THAT yellow-eyed woman Is sly
very sly" said, anxiously. you must
call a halt, Sergia, in your novel-read-
ing. or you will be well disciplined
"That for Miss Dee!" answered Ser
gia, swapping her white fingers. So the
reading went on, chiefly In our little
bed. by the aid Of smuggled tapers
which I screened and held In a proper
position for the illumination of the for
hidden page. But one unlucky night
Nemesis found us.
1t was just the time for extinguish-
ing lights, and sleep caught me at my
self-imposed task. Sergia, with one
of Georgie Eliot's novels in her hands
began also to breathe heavily. The
candle slipped from my unconscious
fingers; the book and counterpane
blazed together. We awoke with the
odor Of singed hair in our nostrils, for
the flames had fastened on Sergias
long love-locks. ] leaped from the bed,
seizing the ever, dashed its ice-cold
contents on my companion, drenching
her to the skin. 1t was zero weather
and Sergia uttered an involuntary
shrek.
Save me from my friends!" she had
lust time to calculate, when our bed
room door flew open, and on the
threshold stood Miss Dee, looking In
upon us. Caught again!" groaned
Sergia.
We disdained all subterfuge and ac-
knowledged our guilt sulkily. Madame
was called to the scene, and was torn
from Sergia's arms and banished to
stuffy little closet connecting with the
room of an under-teacher. For days
both Of us remained in deep disgrace
and our antipathy, Miss Dee, flourish
ed like a green bay tree.
One half-holiday, when the play
ground was deep in snow, Sergia and
I sat in a window Of the deserted class
room, she reading aloud a letter from
her absent father I listening, with my
chin in my hand, and my eyes on her
fair, animated face. 1t was long
letter. and full Of interest to girl like
myself, who knew absolutely nothing
Of the outside world.
The invalid father wrote:
MY Dear Sergia:-I must tell you
about a wedding reception which l, IN
company with my good friend, Colone
Pitt Rivers, attended lately in the Rue
de Clichy. The bride was the daughter
Of a marquis, and so far as wealth, ele-
gance and blue blood go, 1t was mos,
notable affair. The magnificent rooms
decorated for the occasion with white
camelies and lilac, were full of distin-
guished people; and the corbeille, or
view in the main salon, contained al
that money could purchase, and more
Precious stones were there, In inde.
scribable profusion; fans, some painted
in ivory, some inlaid with the old i'm
perishable marcasite of the De Main
tenon period; long-handled opera
glasses-as are now fashionable with
monogram in diamonds; point dAngle'
terre, Chantilly and old Alencon laces
silver Gobelin tapestry, gold and Sill
yer plate in old repousse work, and re-
liquaires set with pearls and rubies
On a horseshoe table, in the centre
of the salon, the jewels were displayed
Among these, a necklace Of diamonds
the gift of the marquis to his daugh-
ter, attracted much attention.
1.-The reception lasted an hour and
half. It was nearly over when one OF
the bridesmaids discovered the absence
Of the necklace from the horseshoe ta-
BILE, and gave the alarm. Some thief
disguised among the five hundred
guests, had abstracted 1t. Imagine the
feelings Of all present! Of course, the
police were sent for at once, and every
proper measure taken for the discovery
and apprehension Of the guilty party
but up to the present time no arrests
have been made, and the loss of the
necklace bids fair to remain a mys'
terry"
How unpleasant, even in the sailor
of a marquis, to be jostled by dis.
guised thief" commented Sergia. 6.
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