Mineral Point tribune. (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1869-1938, 1922-11-09
SHY MISS HOLT
&c. lss2, Western Newspaper uaion.)
BY MoLLtE MATHER

burg. Bess and Bless is my chllu--
Ike them young and pretty and laugh
ing. We have enough of steritness
from what we call the sold guard"-
those who remain in authority wear
after year; these teachers are regular
Banburgers. Paul, that's my minister
brother, is always anxious for fear the
right persons do not have my disci-
pline in charge. You see poor Paul is
my only guardian since my mother,
who was his young stepmother, died
And | must say that Paul has had n
hard time of it with the criticism from
his congregation and all that. |
couldn't even have my hair bobbed
when Bess did-because they thought
II looked hoydenish in member OF
parsonage household Well, when we
saw the new teacher who was to un-
dertake much of the responsibility of
our minds and morals-Bess and [
grinned, then we sighed.
Not" remarked Bess mildly, "just
what one would call pretty"
decidedly" / contributed.
"Why, pleaded May Sales. "wlll she
wear those mammoth trimmed glasses?
Glasses is glasses, hut | fail to see
why one should Shrek them"
"And her hair" went on Bess, "it's
so straight combed back, | really don't
see how Miss Holt can open her eyes"
shes plain shy, that's what she is"
put in the Sales child "If you ask
me, I'll say she has never been out of
her native village-whereve 1t may
be. When | tried to walk with her
sfter school the other day she seemed
not unpleasant-juSt sort of diffident
and at the teachers meeting, Dad
said, she was afraid to open her
mouth"
"All the better for u.s." laughed
Bess. as they jumped TO their feet, and
departed.
Paul came out of his study II
manner, Isobel,'' he reproved 81 heard
all you said. 1t might be better to ex-
tend kindly hand to a new and per-
haps lonely little teacher"
This was strange from Paul, who
usually mentioned only respect due.
Have you met Miss Holt?" l asked
him.
Yesterday" he replied, II had a
few moments conversation with her"
Next day the finest looking young
man came to Danberg lie was to be
at our tennis match in the afternoon.
! almost wished for the name Of the
school that Margaret Holt would not
come in that horrid best brown poplin
Of hers. But she did aud sat far back
under tree. she kept her eyes, rude
ly, | thought, on her book when Paul
went kindly over 20 talk to her. The
stranger, who turnadbout to be an I'M
portant lawyer from the city, for
tunately did not see our teacher at all.
In the evening, Miss Carruth came
down the bride path on her pony,
"Nick," and Miss Holt enthused so
over him that Miss Carruth was
tickled, and asked Miss Holt If she
could ride. We giggled at the thought
of our teacher up on Nick's back, in
her long prim poplin-but in a jiffy
she was there and off down the road
on a gallop When she came back
there were only Miss Carruth, the
stranger, and Bess and myself waiting.
"Will you look at Margaret Holtw
cried Bess-and looked. Mercy She
was different.
THAT was like old times" she be-
gan. then stopped as If frozen at sight
of the lawyer.
He went forward to assist her to
alight Then with a bow he took Miss
Hollis arm, and went walking off at
her side. Miss Carruth rode home.
"What does It meanT | asked Bess.
"The shy Miss Holt looks like one who
has lost her disguise, while the stran-
ger and she seem well acquainted
was sim more mystified when Bess
had gone, and ] sat meditating near
the hedge Supper had not been called
and / was waiting. Miss Holt and the
stranger seated themselves on the OPP
DOSllt sue VI lIt h6ustI anu 4 oih hSh
est in Saying that / did not mean to
eavesdrop.
"And you thought you could hide
here bebind'a pair of spectaclesT' the
man asked.
II did not try to hide our teachers
voice replied. 81 only desired to be-
forever more--a plain nobody; ! only
wanted-peace."
"And you have found it?' the mans
tone was sharp.
/ was surprised at the pain in Mar
garet Hollis voice.
"Can murderess know peaceT she
asked him.
"A murderess You take things too
tragically. Was It your fault that a
love-mad boy killed himself because
you refused to marry himF
81 could hear her stlied sobbing.
"oh. the pity of it," she murmured.
"And | determined that | would never
again cause innocent suffering. ! with
drew into myself was duli-ugly."
but, nevertheless, love came again,
the man spoke brusquely. rs II not
so?"