The Richmond Virginian. (Richmond, Va.) 1910-1920, 1910-03-15

lCOpyrfSht. 1910. by Associated Lit
erary Press
Mrs Hyacinth Wells was AN old
maid. Ii she hadn't been an old
maid she wouldn't have been the
owner and principal of the Wells
School for Young Ladies'. Old maids
have a fondness for opening schools
for young ladies, It's their way of
getting revenge for never having had
any romance in their own lives They
become watch dogs and tyrants and
gioat over IT,
When Miss Jean Kelly arrived at
Eavendale and the Wells school with
her mother. she WAS left in the parlor
while the mother and Miss Wells re-
tired to a private room To have
confidential conversation Miss Jeaa
was to be seQuestered on account of
her being in love at nineteen. She
WAS as good rs engaged to a very
determined young man, who was two
years older. He had said TO the moth
er's face after being turned down that
he would marry Jean il he had To
wait a hundred years. 1t had taken
the strongest kind OF parental au-
shority TO bring the girl TO the school.
and she was to be kept there as
pupil and a prisoner. No letters must
be received or sent without being
read AS she walked cut on the
ground, guards must be stationed To
watch. Ii allowed outside the grounds
two guards must accompany her
She had been hurried from home.
30 that the determined man might
not get track of her. but in case he
did he would be known by scar
-vu s7ts- rt1fn sftSE vufts Wits 70 look
for a scar.
Trust me- replied Miss Wells.
when she heard the full particulars
There is neither love nor romance
under this roof. Ny young ladies are
taught that this world would be al
together better off without men.
Thomas and William are old and
crippled. and they are the only two
males around this sacred Institution.
They cannot be bribed or deceived
In three months your daughter viii
have ceased TO think of the young
man
Miss Wells expected to find a sulky
and obstinate young lady In Miss
Jean, but was agreeably disappointed
The new pupil settled right into place
and gave no trouble. Instead of sulk-
ing she sang. There were fifteen
other girls, and while all of them
constantly kicked about the weak
soups and the oleomargarine on the
thin slices of bread, Miss Jean thought
the world would have suspected her
or duplicity. but Miss Wells did. Her
heart and hand had never been sought
by a determined young man. but she
could figure that If such had been
the case she would not have given
him up SO easily. A mother might
be hoodwinked, but an old maid
never
And Miss Wells vigilance was
al lyu
she opened the prison door TO a
young man with pencil and notebook
In hand. He was taking the census
OF the country. That scar? II was
there!
60 away. sir, cried Miss Wells
and the door was banged on his heels
A week later. when the grocer's
delivery boy drove up 10 the Kitchen
through the back gate. Thomas pass
cd him with grumble Somethlnl
warned Miss Wells. She left a class
70 walk through to the kitchen. and
behold, the grocer's boy was a young
man, And the scar Yes. It Wa@
there. but though he was driven away
he went with hts head up and a de-
termined look on his face.
Then various small boys earne
various uarters by hanging arnmuI
the grounds. but they failed In their
attempts IT they had notes to deliver
One day one of the girls gashed hef
hand. A doctor was sent for la dress
II. With him came young medica
student. That is. he got as far ~
the door again, and then that seal
gave him away.
Miss Jean Kelly had been in tn
school for three months when Mis-
Wells got a shock. one of the girl
turned tattle-tale She announce
that many a night, about midnight
Miss Jean had sneaked out of bed an