Year: 1877

the talented young master placed with
In the reach of all. He was possessed
Of a vast fund of general information.
ana ne gave TO them without measure
and without stint. lie was kind and
gentle, but in very truth they found
him master-all but Faith.


AS the days heightened into weeks,
an unquiet spirit seemed to enter into
the girl, and she seemed almost boldly
defiant. With exceeding patience and
geAtleness the master bore with all her
strange freaks, and although sorely
tried he endeavored, by gentle, winning
kindness. to bring her to see the great
wrong she was doing herself and him.
But 1t was of no avail; the more he trie d
the more he might try, and the dancing
brown eyes shot forth angry sparks, as
at last he passed her most daring pranks
by In absolute silence.


However tho crisis came at last. At
the noon recess one or the Oldest schol-
ars, q youth Of nineteen, had tried to
steal her handkerchief i'm fun; 1t was a
dainty affair, made Of lace and muslin,
a present from her cousin In the city
Faith had resolutelv declined all such
advances, but in the afternoon she
reached across the aisle and laid it upon
the open leaves of the book where he
was studying. With graceful bow he
acknowledged the gift, and raised it to
his lips, when lol tiny dead mouse
dropped from its foijs, and "A universal
giggle ran through the room. In des-
peration the master called them to or
der, and there was sharp ring. as Of
pain, in the grave, stern tones which
said, Faith Grey can stop after school
tonight" That was all, and, without
casting look in the direction Of the
young girl, the business OF the day went
on as usual, but eacn ana all understood
that trifiing was at an end, and even
Faiths rosy cheeks paled little, as she
glanced shyly at the stern, quiet face.
1t had been hard day for the young
master. and it was no wonder IL his
patience was exhausted. In the morn
ing, one Of his largest scholars, half
witted Frenchman. had entered late.
and Immediately commenced 10 laugh,
and all the information that could be
elected from him was that he guessed
''the two-year-old would get full bye
and bye" and again his fat sides would
shake with laughter. lie was n great,
overgrown fellow of sixteen, who
worked for his board at farm about a
mile from school, and mt noon his en-
ployer presented himself at the school
house, and in loud, angry tones, ordered
him never to darken his doors again.
1t appeared that the spring where the
cattle were In the habit of drinking,
was formed by lowering a barrel into
the ground, and all around it was very
slippery with ice, and rs the clown had
driven them to drink the "tw0-year old"
had slipped and fallen i'm head first, and
being unable TO get out alone, the
Frenchman had left it to 'sget full"
while he went to school. When found
by the farmer the animal was drowned.
Although the school-master could not
blame the farmer for his Indignation,
yet the circumstance annoyed him ex-
ceedingly; and If one might be allowed
to judge by the look Of determination
ON his white, stern face, Faith was
likely to feel the full force of his au-
thority. and even her stout heart
quailed little as the shadows length
ensd, and the day drew near its close.


The last lesson had been recited; the
last class had stood up to spell; the
evening hymn had been sung, and at
last school had closed, the scholars
filing out Of the house in good order,
and with strange quietness and dis
patch, wrapping about them their
shawls, hoods and comforters. Faith,
with the roses all gone from her dimpled
cheeks, was sitting at her desk white
and still. For few moments, which
seemed like an eternity to her, the
master sat at his desk with his head
bowed upon his hands. The short
winters day was drawing TO a close,
and one solitary sunbeam, red as blood,
streamed through the window, and lay
across the desk exactly In front of her,
and to the day Of her death, Faith will
carry a vivid inward picture Of that
little school-room, for every article
which 1t contained was indelibly i'm
pressed upon her mind In those few
moments.


At last the master raised his head,
md In low tones said: miss Faith,
you may come here"


At the sound OF his voice, the blood
rushed back to the cheek which had
been 80 pale bat moment ago, and
her courage revived. She arose, and
with firm step walked across the room
and stood before him, and as their eyes
met she returned his gaze unninchingly.
His was sad, beseeching look, as
though he would urge her to beg his
forgiveness. Hers was a mixture of
fun and anger combined, but certainly
they showed no signs of sorrow. AS
he arose to his feet his huge form
lowered like n giant above her, and
reaching over his desk, he grasped his
ferule.


"IIold out your bmd."


The words were ]erked forth as
though they caused the speaker untold
pain. Faith obeyed, although the white
lids covered the brown eyes asd the
long eyelashes swept over cheeks as
white as the snow outside. She had
never received blow i'm her life, and
she shivered as the tips of the slender
fingers were firmly grasped. and one
short, sharp, singing blow descended
upon the white palm, leaving crimson
mark tsat curiously reminded her Of
the blood-red sunbeam, as it lay across
the desk. The ferule was raised for
another blow when again their eyes