The Kentuckian. [volume] (Hopkinsville, Ky.) 191?-19??, 1919-05-28
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS.
THE SCHOOLMA'AM
Observation-Disclosures
BY ETHEL NJ. FARMER.


: Did ringing that same rusty bell bu
somehow this one seemed dlfferen
from the rest. And somehow the ciang
lng-of the bell seemed clearer thar
ever.
The ringing of the bell ceased, the
t long line of children passed into the
. building and the schoolhouse door was
closed. 1t was very evident that the
| long days in the little school were not
ones of drudgery. The teacher, who
was little more than girl herself, was
dearly loved by all the children.
AS she began the days work no one
would have surmised that in her heart
there was trouble.
ut really did seem strange about
Ed. It could not be true. Dick was
mistaken. He"
! A suppressed giggie interrupted her
wandering thoughts.
With great dignity she asked a very
modest little girl, who proudly wore
two tight braids down her back, the
cause of the disturbance.
Excuse me, please" the girl spoke
timldly, "but we had this lesson two
days ago."
Excuse me, too" was all she said,
as she reassigned the lesson.
The clock carefully licked away the
minutes and the hands gradually crept
along their daily journey. Then
ruler fell on the floor with a sounding
.thud
A little red-headed fellow in the
front sent was working very lndustrl-
ously, with his desk covered with pa
pers and opened books, but the tell
tale ruler lay in the aisle beside him,
"Jimmy!"
SER, yes'm, Miss Brooks; did you
mean me?' And he struggled desper-
ately to return her look with limo
cency.
"Plck it upw she said slowly, fore
ing back a smile.
With great surprise he leaned oven
and picked up the offending article and
placed it thoughtfully in his desk.
All went well for a while after the
ruler was safely deposited out of sight
until Jimmy suddenly thought of the |
lovely, big cud Of gum he had stuck |
under his desk.
"How good 1t would taste |" he |
thought, but he knew how stern "she"
was on chewing in school-he had
tried it before
He studied the clock with a sigh, for
there were Is minutes more At last he
could stand 1t no longer, and the gum
was suddenly and slyly transferred
from the desk to his mouth.
"How good 1t wasI" And he gave 1t
q few good chews.
"Jlmmy!" came in low tones from the
other side of the room.
"Er, yeS'm," he replied, jumping to
his feet, "I'll take"
PUT II IL the basket and crawl In
under my desk. Stay there until the
bell rings"
At last the closing bell rang and the
hlldren filed out of the building but
Hiss Brooks did not notice that Jimmy
lid not appear.
With sigh she sat down at her desk
nd drew out part Of newspaper clip
ing which told of the engagement Of
lieut.. Edward Smith to a beautiful .
society BELLE" All of the article was :
lot there, but Dick had assured her :
hat 1t was true and that Ed had not
reated her fair.
Just then Dick himself entered the
DOM.
where shall we go this even!ngr'
e asked cheerfully.
"Are you sure this is true about !.
,dl' she asked him again.
"HOw can you doubt it? Forget q
bout him and we will have a good
lme together"
She shook her head.
II guess will not go tonight. Some $
low do not believe that is true about n
im." n
Suddenly Jimmy opened his eyes. ii
Who said Ed? Why, Ed was his spe- d
ial friend and was coming home from c.
he army this very day b
He scrambled out from under the II
esk, rubbing his eyes.
"Why, I've been asleep and l prom
'ed TO meet Ed right after school"
'Ed?' she asked in surprise, after !
vercoming the shock Of the unex-
ected third party. -
The boys face fell. :
ut was to be surprise TO you" he
hammered. .
Just then Dick picked up his whip,
'hich he had laid on a chair, and dis
ppeared through the door, for he had n
lddenly spied tall soldier fastening II
p the road with one arm carried stiff N
: in a sling.
He had just barely left when the II
)ldier entered. HI
RUTH Hi
she looked with surprise and joy ct II