The Washburn times. [volume] (Washburn, Wis.) 1896-1976, 1913-08-21


innocent girls-they're mighty hard
ened and knowing set, nowadays,
| though, | must say-to a superinten-
| dent that stands on bridges of nights,
holding hands, and her a young slip
of a thing. His a-standing on that
| bridge"
"He amt stood there as often as
I've been worried to death a-hearing
of it, growled the ungrateful Bob, who
was immensely fond of Abbott.
Miss Sapphire spoke with amazingly
significant double mods between each
woodland saw
only four days
. ago"
She pointed at the schoolhouse,
which was almost directly across the
street, it's stone steps facing the long
veranda. "They were the last to come
out of that door. You may say she's
mere child. Mere children are not
in Miss Bulls classes"
"But Abbott says the girl is far
advanced"
Far advanced! You may we'll say!
| I'll be bound she is-and carrying on
with Abbott on the very school-house
steps. Yes, venture she is advanced.
! You make me ashamed to hear you"
Bob tugged at his straw-colored
mustache; he would not swear. for
whatever happened, he was resolved
to lead the spiritual life. "See here.
Sapphire. I'm going to tell you some
thing. had quite talk with Abbott
about that ridge-business-afte
you'd spread it all over town, sis-and
if you'll believe me, she waylaid him
on those school-steps. He didn't want
to talk to her. Why, he left her stand
ing there She made him mad. find
ing fault with the very folks that lave
| taken her up. He's Disguised. That
night at the camp-meeting, he had to
| take her out of the tent-he was asked
to do it"
"He didn't have to stand, a-holding
her hand
] And as soon as he'd shown her
the way to Brother Gregory's, he came
on back to the tent. l saw him in the
aisle"
and she whistled at me-" cried Miss
Sapphira-"the limb"
"Now, listen, Sapphire, and quit
goading. Abbott says that Miss Bull
is having lots of trouble with Fran"
See that, now!"
because Fran won't get her les
sons, being contrary"
81 wish you could have seen her
whistling at me, that night"
Hold on. So this very evening
Miss Bull is going to send her down
to Abbotts office to be punished, or
| dismissed. This very evening he wants
me to be over there while he takes
her in hand
abbott is going to punish that
girl?" cried Miss Sapphire; going to
take her in hand? What do you mean
by taking her in hand? She is too
old! Robert, you make me blush"
| "You amt adjusting, Sapphire"
her brother assured her, good-natured-
ly. you're suffering from the hot
weather. Yes, he's to punish her at
four o'clock, and I'm to be present, to
stop all this confoun-I meaa this I'M
| cody gossip.
you'd better wear your spectacles,
Bob, SO you'll look old and settled.
I'm not always sure of you, either"
"Sapphira, if 1 hadn't joined the
church, I'd say" He threw up his
hand and clenched his fist as II he
had caught an oath and meant to hold
it tight. Then his honest face beamed.
See here, I've got an idea. Suppose
you make it a point to be sitting out
here on the veranda at about half-past
four, or five. You'll see Fran come
sneaking out of that door like a
whipped kitten. She'll look everlast-
ingly wilted. l don't know whether
Abbott will stuff her full of fractions
and geography, or make her stand in
a corner-but you'll see her wilted.'
CTO BE CONTINUED