Vernon County censor. [volume] (Viroqua, Wis.) 1865-1955, 1913-04-02

three years; and. sometimes
she suspected that Florence knew IL
Miss Wing sat at her desk. It was a
large desk of oak, always kept in
bIameless order. No one could recall
seeing more than one letter at a time
lying on the blotter. Any others, yet
unread, lay in the wicker tray to the
left. the letters read but not answered
were Ia the wicker tray TO ne right,
the answered letters we're In appropri.
ate pigeonholes or In ashes. Miss Wing
being a firm believer in 1re as conf.
1ential agent About the desk hung
the most interesting object In the
room, to the schoolgirls: In fact II
would be hard to gauge justly the in.
Huence this one, mute and motionless,
had over their young imaginations.
or how far Il was responsible for the
rose-tinted halo that beyord doubt,
giOritied the principal for them. The
object was a picture. the picinre Of a
young man in the uniform o. captain
IN the German cuirassiers. His thick
light hair was brushed back from o
fne and candid forehead A smile
creased his cheek under the warlike
curl of his mustache 1t was smile
30 happy and so friendly in its hap
plness. that Il won the beholder The
eyes were not large, but even In the
black and white OF a photograph (the
portrait was an ordinary cabinet
carte) they seemed TO sparkle. The
young fellows figure was superb, and
held with military precision and
JauntIness. One said. looking at the
whole presence. This man Is a good
fellow" Viewing him more closely.
one might add. And he is In love.
The picture was framed handsomely
in a gilded frame. On the desk below,
an exquisite vase Of Venice lifted a
single. perfect rose. For Is years a
flower had always bloomed thus. Miss
Wing had hung the picture herself, Is
years ago Then. she was the new
principal. and the school was but half
its size; and the village people ex-
claimed at trusting such girl" with
so much responsibility. During those
is years the new building had been
built. the school had grown and flour
ished; and the gray had crept into
Margaret Wings bright hair She had
so often put on mourning for her near
kindred that she had assumed II as
her permanent garb. To the certain
land ecstaticl knowledge Of the school.
she had refused divers offers OF mar
riage from citizens of good repute
and substance. But during all the
changing years. the picture had kept
its place and the fresh flowers had
bloomed below. No girl could remem.
Der the desk without the picture: and
when tin I'D girls visited the school,
their eye. would instlnctively seek II
IN It's old place: always with a little
moving Of the heart Yet no one
ever alluded to II to the principal.
and no one. not her most trusted
teacher. nor her best loved pupil. had
ever heard the principal speak of It.
The name or the pictured soldier, his
story. his relation to Miss Wing: Miss
Wings nearest kindred and friends
knew as much about all these as The
school--and that was nothing. Never
theless. the school tradition reported
part OF name on the authority OF a
single inciden. Years ago an acct.
dent happened to the picture. II was
the principals custom to carry Il with
her on her journeys. however brief;
always taking II down and putting K
back IN Its place herself. On this oc-
easlon the floor had been newly pol.
ished. and in banging the picture her
chair on which she stood slipped and
she fell. while the picture dropped out
of her gsasp. One OF the girls, who
WIS passing. ran 10 her aid but she
had crawled toward the picture and
would have it In her hands before abe
allowed the girl to aid her to rise--a
circumstance. you may be sure. not
likely to escape the sharp young eyes.
Neither did these same eyes miss the
further circumstance that the jar had
shifted the carte in the frame and a
lire OF writing. hitherto hidden, was
staring out at the world. The hand
was the sharp. minute German hand
but the words were English: the girl
took them in at an eyeblink. as she
handed the picture to Miss Wing:
Thine for ever, Max Miss Wing
made no comment; perhaps she sup
posed that the girl had not seen, per,
haps-in any case she was silent.
OF course. the new light flooded the
school gossip Immediately. But there
never came any more: every new girl
was free to work her own will on Miss
Wings romance. Was Max" dead
Had they parted because OF any act on
the woman's part? Surely he could
not have been false. to receive that
daily oblation of flowers. Il was more
likely that she thus expressed an i'm
perlshable regret. Youth. ever fanci
full. played with all manner OF dainty
and plaintlve variations on the theme
It's very mystery was its poignant
charm; since each tender young SOU
created new romance and a new APP
peal Elusive and pathetic. Il hovenet
on the edge of these young lives, like
the perfume of a flower And its In
fiuenoe was the more potent that s.
asked for nothing. II is not too mucl
20 say that the spectacle of that gen
tie and reticent faithfulness was tn,
strongest element In the school at
mosphere. Certainly. because OF II
Miss Wing had greater power owe
her scholars. She was woman o
ability and gentle force: by nature
little aloof. little precise. able {,
fesl deeply. but not able to express
her sympathies or her pain. withou
her nnNslarinna anrrnNN abe .nltl1