Year: 1861

I am resly afraid things are goiDe
wrong with him Besides, | want K
be doing son ething. [ am bette
girl when | feel that | am not dront
and dependent. Yes, Aunty, I mus
and will have school Will you i.elE
me


The brown bonnet caught the girl.
enthusiasm and she promised


You must have k own, reader from
the description of my friend Kelly thai
he was town supreinte dent. Who
else was so well qualified to look after
the interests of the public school =
One morning at six o'clock-my friend
rises at five and has a good fire in his
Office and an appetite for breakfast at
Ska rap fell upon the outer door.
Kelly rose and opened it.


Good morning ladies, walk in


The brown bonnet said Good NOR
ning,' With dignity, the blue hat pro-
nounced the same timidly, and both
passed in


MY niece would like to be examin-
ed, to take the school in our district.


Certainly said the towa suprien
dent, laying the poker on the table.
| Certainly. your aunt-beg pardon
your niece shall be examined. madam
Warm morning, ma'am,' wiping the
presperation from his face with a sheet
of writing paper.


Bless you its the coldest morn
ing we've had this fall, said the as
tonished aunt Why Mary's face
has been like a poney, all the way ri
din in the wind. Just look at it,


There was no need, for my friend
had seen more than the blne hat, some
minutes before. Certainly, madam,
certainly-very red-I mean very cold
indeed ma'am, very


The town superintendent was not
long, however, in getting better poa'
session Of his faculties, and at length
the examination commenced.


Your residence, if you please, said
Kelly blandIy.


Milwauke.


May I ask you where you were
educated p continued the questioner,
looking for once into the eyes which
We're sparkling despite the embarrass-
ed features.
In the public schools, SIR
Did you graduate p
Yes, SIR


The lady handed him a roll tied with
blue ribbon, Kelly tried hard to
urtie it but soon got the knot into a
very bad fix. The pretty fingers of
The blue hat were called into requisi-
lion, and the knot was conquered close
before him under his eyes. Opening
the roll he read -


Mary Denver Is that your name
Miss p


Yes, sir


Your fathers name p


Charles
Merchant {?


Yes, sir'


Why, | was clerk in his store
when you were a child. He was the
noblest employer ] everhad. He made
me all am. I mean he made me
upright--for that is all I am any
way


Kelly promised a certifcate-and
he would bring it over the next day,
which he did.


During the whole term he was very
faithful in official visits to the schools
and just before the close of the session
my friend said :


Mary, I wouldn't teach school any
more


20, must. I like it, and besides
I haven't accomplished half / want
yet M


'Whau do you want to accomplish,
Mary p


j want to continue my music,


What else p


i want to clothe Minnie


What else p


I want to feel that ! am useful,
that | am doing something Z


| want to hire you, Mary, and ]
will pay you wages that will enable
you to do all this *1t4t


You want to hire me What can
[ do for you p


Keep my house, and be my wife,
Mary


And then the town superintendent
got his arm around Mary's waist. and
held her tight. though she struggled a
little at first. f


Let me go and / viii tell you
He released the little figure, and
Mary stood before him, trembling,
blnshing, twining the strings Of her
hat round her fingers, looking down
upon the floor, glancing once into his
earnest eyes, her breast rising and fall
ing tillthe cameo swayed like a ship
on the billows. Al


do YOU love me p
With all my soul' \


Did yon ever love anybody else !?


Never in all my life.'


Can little girl like me- she said
looking earnestly into his face; cal
little girl like me, devoted, loving
yon almost to reverence, make yot
happy always p
No ore in the world but YOU
The little maiden stepped close t.
his side, and hid hid herself under nj
arm. s
That jaunty blue hat is in favorit'
| clnsat nf nv friends new house in