Year: 1877

about time it was settled in some way,
for Mime was more fidgety and contrary
than ever and I don't believe every
thing would have turned out as it did if
Mime had been in her sober senses.
The girl was about half wild, and don't
believe she knew what she was about |;
for it stands to reason she must have
hated the sehoolmaster, and yet when [
began to glory over his defeat, and say
how glad Sam Riley would be, she shut
me up in a minute.


"Sam Riley and Mr.. Steele" she
said, "are two very different men,"


"I should hope 50" said.


"Sam is made of different stuff, she
went on to say. "The little pricks and
torments that sting the soul of Mr..
Steele to madness would be utterly un-
felt by Sam. Sam is good fellow -


"Thank you for Sam, !" I said, for she
was enough to provoke saint.


"But he has not the capacity for suf-
fering that Mr.. Steele has and oh,
aunty, he does suffer !!


".Serve him right, the monster" I
said; and had scarce got the words out
of nv mouth when there was rap at
the door. went over, thinking it was
Sam Riley, when there was the thin,
gaunt face of the schoolmaster again.


He came in and bowed as grave as an
owl, and sat down on chair by the
door: his cane rolled down beside him
on the floor, and for full minute or so
he couldn't find word out of that long
dictionary in his head.


I was glad to see that Mines spunk
came back at the sight of him. Her
eyes were as bright as they could be,
and her cheeks like the heart of holly
hook.


"My errand here, Miss Jemima," he
began, els altogether friendly one.
You have so much spirit and determine
ton that I think your present subordl-
nate position is unfit for you. 1 know
of one that will be shortly vacant, which
you can fill with great credit to your
self and all concerned"


"Pm much obliged to you" said
Mime, her lips beginning to curl, and
the color of her cheeks deepening to a
flame, "but I'm quite satisfied where 1
am. I can we'll understand that you'd
be glad to be rid of me, but I must beg
to decline. I'm not going away from
here"


"But am going away from here, I"
said the schoolmaster, getting upon his
feet. "Itis my place that will be vacant,
and I think you may have it If you
choose"


"You-you said Mime and /
don't wonder the child was astounded at
the news. I was quite hustered myself.
. eyes" said the schoolmaster "you
can have your own way now" And he
went out the door, bowing awkwardly rs
he went, queer miserable smile strug-
CLING into his face.


Dear dear! the contrariness of
woman ! No sooner was the door well
shut on him than Mime put her head on
the table and began to cry. Her hair
got loose and fell all about her. and, to
make the matter worse, I heard a foot
step outside, and this time thought it
must be Sam Riley.


"For goodness sake, Mime" said,
i" don't let Sam Riley see you in this
way p


But the door opened, and there stood
the schoolmaster again. He said he
had come back for his cane but he
never stopped to pick it up, but stood
staring at Mime as if she was a ghost
instead of the fresh, pretty. wholesome
creature that she was. She raised her
head, and though her face was half hid
den by her hair, her eyelashes we're wet,
and the tears not dried yet on her
cheeks.


The school master, not minding me
any more than if I was block of wood
Or something, walked straight over to
Mime.


."You know very well, he said, "that
am only going away from here because
love you. Because it was not the class
that was distracted by your pretty ways
and devices; it was I. You know all
his very well, and can tell me whether
[ had better go or not. Now tell me,
shall I stay?"


You might have knocked me down
With feather when I saw Mime put her
hand out timidly to the school master,
md he turn pale and catch it in both his
own.


"Of course not" broke in, for I was
near distracted by the way things were
going. elf you're an honorable man,
and got any sense left, and an eye in
your head, you'd see that my niece is as
good as engaged to Sam Riley"


"Sam Riley said Mime, as scornful
Is if poor Sam was toad or something,
and holding on to the school masters
horny hands as if she was drowning.
Like enough they'll beat her some day,
and if so she'll like him all the better for
It, for before I'd got out of the room I
heard her tell him she'd teach any way
that suited him best; and my only hope
IS that Pe's got little money laid by,
for he said he didn't intend she should
teach at all. But, dear dear !! when I
heard the crack of Sam Riley's whip
outside, and knew the evening stage was
in, and poor Sam not knowing what was
in store for him, I had to go up stairs
and have cry all to myself. And all l
can say is, if Mime marries the school
master, it's mighty queer courtship.-
Harper's Weekly.