The Madison journal., 1913-10-18

"A certain measured" shouted Ches-
ter IF you weren't natural-born
saphead, I'd! Come up to Aunt
Judith's!"
| went with him, firm in that solid
self-control which gives fixity OF char
acter to my nature. | saw in its true
light the amiable weakness of my rela-
tives which made them slaves to this
girl. | felt as stern and austere as
public officer should, and looked 1t,
believe, for mother was quite In
futter as she asked me to read a clip
ping from an eastern Tennessee paper
describing the departure from that re-
gion of the Frayns.
From this learned that Miss Frayn
and the colonel had been the last OF
! the Frayns, the family having been
exterminated in the Frayn-Harrod
feud. The colonel had been an engi-
neer in Lees army. He had given
public notice on leaving that at noon
he would nail to the front door Of the
courthouse, with the revolver OF
Boone Harrod, the last enemy shot
by the colonel, his version Of the
origin Of the feud. He had carried out
this parting piece Of bravado with no
| disturbance except an exchange OF
shots as the train moved away from
! the station. | was Mortified. Was
person in this barbarous state OF cul-
ture asking me, Oscar Boggs, member
OF the National subcommittee on
Tone-Deafness-!
"Okky," said my mother, from be-
hind, this is Miss Frayn!"
Q looked at her, and was suddenly
impressed with the non-existence OF
the material universe, except as cen
tered In and consisting OF eyes of a
ruddy brown likeJt1ose of fine horses,
rufous hair surrounding the small head
like a nimbus, and a fused mass Of
Impressions made up Of the abstract
concepts of trimness, fire, elegance, and
unconquerability. have reported th'
matter to the society for psychical e
search, but have received no answer
as yet 1t was clearly abnormal.
She placed her arm about my moth
er's waist and looked most respectful
ly at me.
"You ah the great man." said she,
"of the. family All have so much cause
to love-" Here she stopped as If to re-
gain self-control. "Ah wish nah po'
papahs," she went on, had"
There, there!" said my mother, pat.
ting her arm. It'll be all right any
way, dear!"
was considering what to say. Her
skin was clear, white, daintily trans
parent, and of a delicacy our western
girls seldom display lowing, surmise,
to climatic infiuences); she stood
there on Aunt Judith's Persian rug
her petite figure with its rounded
curves, half-levitated. like Atalanta
upon the oat-heads-and there return
ed upon me the mental vertigo, the
lack of cerebral coordination, and the
obliteration of the material universe.
Am All so igno'ant, really?" said
she. "Ah'm fond of children; and All
must find wohk!"
Why did hate Dustin? Why could
not command my speech? l always
rally at the crisis. however, and did so
in this instance.
"As for ignorance" said I, "Sir John
Lubbock says: Studies are a means,
not an end And Lord Bacon hath
it: To spend too much time In stud
les is sloth.' see that you have acted
on these maxims. Professor Dustin's
astigmatism and myopia rendered 1t
impossible for him to see you"
/ stopped in some returning confu.
sion.
Those dreadful cube roots and
quadratics-" said she.
THE personality Of the teacher.
said I, controls the matter"
1t was not the occult influence, but
a desire to benefit educational condi
tions, that led me to visit Miss Frayn's
school the week Chester's insurgency
placed her in 1t. My memory is hazy
as to the matter, but my notes show
that her weakness was in the matter
Of organization.
"Oh," said she, when / mentioned
this, do you all prefeh things sc
regular and poky? It's so much mo
pleasant fob the little things to b<
free!" She called most Of the little
ones Honey" and allowed much lati
tude In whispering and moving about
They crowded around her like anti
- l,,v. - n hn
were beginning to evince laxity o.
pronunciation, sounding the persona
pronoun 81" like the interjection "Ah.'
In a few days I went back-Chestel
sneered at me as | went by-to tel
Miss Frayn Of the necessity of teach
ing the effects of stimulants and mar
cotics according to the Iowa law. Sh,
was greatly surprised when l told o
this requirement.
What, daily. Mr.. Superintendent
she exclaimed.
Daily teaching" said I. Our Law
requires It."
1T seems so unnecessary" she said II
perplexity. THE young gentlemen
will find out all about it in due time
and is 1t raght to experiment with th'
littlest ones? And wheiah shall l oh
tain the liquoh fob the demonstra
tions?"
| felt strangely overcome at thi
astounding speech. by an indescribabl,
mixture of tender solicitude for he
welfare, and horror at her fearful mis-
take; but | reproved her for jestin,
at the vice of drinking.