LITERATURE.

Globe, Volume XXIII, Issue 2177, 16 February 1881, Page 3

LITERATURE.

J CAPTURING A OHO T. i T'aul Cheney feat at hi • desk in the schoolI roi)in if a iur*l riatri t, hbvs the ' Phila delphia Press," where he hurt beori teaching i (to use a wo,'l wora aiia.-i-) the yonn.f idea how to shoot;. Hi'b present task was that of writing a letter to a chum in his city home '.No donbt (he wrote) yoa imagine I am dwelling in a sort of rural Arcadia, and ]ast as far as physical nature goes, I am, for there can be nothing more green than the hills, nothing more clear, 000 l or limpid, or musical than the brooks that everywhere ribbon the valleys. Paradise itself could not produce more life-giving breezes, and yet m» life >b a burden, because the girls (and they are the majority of my pupils) are such wide-awake, mischief loving, tormenting beauties as were never before given to one person to manage. They will have their own way, and completely demoralise the Bchool ; they tease, coax, and wheedle me out of my most important rules, and when endurance ceases to be a virtue cast upon me snob reproachful glances and pnt up such pouting, pretty lips that a fellow is tempted to seize his hat and " vamose the ranch," aa they say West. 'Hut in spite of my complaints don't imagine me subjugated, I have at last issued positive oommand for the students not to range off during study hours, as has been the practice. ' A sort of gipsy encampment is located near an isolated nook among the hills Among the tribe is an old fortune teller, and of course the pretty heads of my female scholars are completely turned, and I have not only laid down the law against visiting the oamp, but fixed a penalty thereto. ' Now I know yon will raise your hands in holy horror when I tell you that after exhausting every other form of punisnment, from the dunce-oap to writing lengthy compositions (the bitter abhorrence of every feminine heart!) and all to no purpose, I have in this instance, resorted to the oldfashioned one, the ferrule. And so help me, fate, I will carry it out to the bitter end, and make every little hand smart whom owner disobeys, or my name is not Paul Cheney." The schoolhouse where our hero presided was some distance from the village where he boarded, and the walk, though pleasant, was lonely and passing a graveyard. And of late weird tales had been told of ghosts who walked there by moonlight, and in one or two instances, when the schoolmaster had been belated he had observed an object clothed In white flit at a distance before him, and in his very path. Though a trifle startled, he had no doubt that it was a riddle that time would unravel. Therefore, upon the night when he bad remained writing to the city friend, as he hurried homeward to be in time for supper, he gave the matter no thought and had reached the boundary of the graveyard when he was confronted by the white-robed apparition approaching him with extended arms. The suggestions natural to its appearance were the reverse of pleasant, yet he never dreamed the gliding visitant was other than earthy, and quickened his pace to meet it, but to his astonishment Is disappeared as quickly and entirely as if swallowed by the earth. Not a little stattled and puzzled, he hastened home, but kept his own counsel.

The next morning he proceeded to school earlier than uncial, and spent some time In reconnoitring the walk of the ghost, and evidently to his satisfaction, for the broad smile that illuminated his face as he entered the school-room appeared to assure the pupils that their teacher was in the beet humor, and they would accordingly receive many indulgences. At recess a number of pretty heads were in close consultation, and Sue Salmon, a black-eyed beauty, said with a pout: ' Wasn't it mean for Mr Cheney to threaten to whip any one who went np to the gipsy encampment ? Just as if he dared to do it!' ' I would like to see him ferrule my hand,' chimed in May Ellis. *Or mine, either!' exclaimed Batty Dalton. ' What's the use of being such cowardly ninnies, girls ? Let's go in spite of him.' ' I will pay for any girl who will go with me to-day to have her fortune told,' laughed Sue .Salmon, merrily. * Will you ? Then we will all go, even if we have to submit to the punishment,' answered May. It was decided to ran the risk, and accordingly when school closed at noon they marched off bodily to learn the mystery of the future.

'lt must be half-pant one o'clock at least," exclaimed one of the number, an they were hastening back from their visit to the gipsy camp, half repentant and anxious to know what wonld be the result of their breaking the law. I wish we hadn't gone,' sighed Kitty, ruefully. 'lt was all your fault, Sue.' ' I know it,' returned the young lady with a merry laugh; and lam ready not only to take my share of punishment, but yours as well.'

' It is all very well to talk,' said May, ' but you are sure you will get off with the lightest penalty, and that you can do anything you please with Paul Cheney.' • Can I ? Well, then, I'll Bhield yon for your obedience. So eheer np and be brave. Here we are, and school has commenced.' They marched in and took their seats, and lifted their guilty eyes to encounter the indignantly flashing ones of their much abused teacher. Of all the soholara, Sue was the prettiest, most lovable and most trying. She laughed his most serious and just reproofs to scorn, and when she found he was really wounded, her great black eyes would flash np to him through tears and appeal to be forgiven. And somehow his voice always tuned itself lower when he addressed her, and In spite of himself she managed to throw upon him the solving of all her most difficult problems. She wonld come up to him with such a pretty pleading pont, with ' My head aches so,' and protest she could not do her algebra unassisted ; or ' Might I not be excused from writing that dreadful composition for just this once, please ? ' And promised to do anything else he wished ; and she iooked so winsome, pretty and bright, when he yielded, that she usually carried the day. So, when the master, in a hard cold voice commanded the young ladies who were late to school to leave their seats and take places before his desk, to his surprise, Sue said something in a whisper to her companions, and came • gracefully and quiokl j forward alone, and leaning her white arms npon his desk as for support to her trembling limbs, said—

"Mr Cheney, we have been to see the gipsies, bat 1 alone am to Kama, and am ready to take the punishment yon think the rest have merited together with what is my just due.' ' Oh, you wish to make yourself a sort of scapegoat for your companions ?' he questioned, with a flushed face.

* Yes, sir, if you please,' murmured Sue. •Well, if I don't please? I think you have sins enough of your own to answer for, without shouldering those of others.' ' Bat really and truly,' pleaded she, with tears in her glorious eyes, 'I am alone to blame. They would not have gone but for me, and you will make me perfectly wretched if you punish them, when the fault was all mine,' and she sobbed audibly. * I should be sorry to do that,' he answereed. 'lt is enough that you make every day of my life wretched [without my retaliating, and if you will answer for the good behaviour of your companions in future it shall be as you desire ' 'I will,' promised Sue, but she grew deadly pale to the lips, sb he extended his hand to receive hers.

The next moment her tiny rosy palm lay in the great broad one, above which the rules was poised for the blow ; and though their hands were hidden behind the desk, the blows could ba distinctly heard. • One, two, three, four—one for eaoh truant,' said the teacher, looking down into the eyes of Sue with an expreesion none but she could interpret. The next instant the face of Sno w»s buried in her handkerchief, and her cheeks crimsoned as with shame. Then she spoke in a suppressed voice to the teacher, and he had to bend low to hear her.

'Who is the scapegoat now ?' she questioned, and the dimples betrayed that her emotion was laughter, and if her eyes were filled with tears they were not sorrowful cnes.

' Never mind,' was answered by_ the teacher, as he bit his moustache to hide a smile, "you may t»ke your seat now.' ' What a generous soul!' murmured Sue,

as she laid her head npon the desk, * I knew he wouldn't strike me. His broad hand entirely covered mine and received every blow. How the tirls would laugh If they knew it.! But I won't tell. That shall be onr little si-orr.t The rnmainder of tb<i afternoon she studied very diligent y r.nd recited cleverly, though ther« was n very nancy light burning ia her brown ry«s that argaed ill for some one. When school clcsDd for the day the girls flocked around her with many expreestone of sympathy. *lt was so good and noble in you. Sue, to take all the blame and the punishment," exclaimed May. ' And how ridiculous he looked pounding the little hand of a lady!' added Kitty. 'I am sure be must t/kink very little of himself, and, as for me, I hate him.' 'So do I,' said Annie Miller, ' and would sit up all night to find time to despise him.' ' Don't be fools!' interrupted Sue, with a flash of anger. 'I think he was veiy kind and generous to let us off as easy ad he did, for we were wrong and he right.' ' I thought it belonged to a gentleman's code of honor never to strike a woman,' answered May, with a sneer. •The truth is,'replied Sue, 'he fixed the penalty so severe and unrelenting that he supposed no one would disobey, and when he was forced to fulfil the law he punished one girl in place of four, and as it was neither of you, I think you ought to be satisfied. Suppose we let the subject drop.' 'So be it.' But if he remains at the schoolhonse late again to-night; shan't we haunt him ?' ' Yes,' said Sue; 'and it is my turn to be the ghost. There is jolly fun in that.' Meanwhile Paul Chesney was again writing to his city chum, and in conclusion he said: ' I have had a hard day. The girls were unusually provoking, and the knuckles of my left hand are very much swollen, from an injury received while punishing one of them. Yon need not be surprised to bear that I have given up teaching. The Plsinville Academy is proving to much for me, and any day I may drop in upon you.' The [letter finished, he started for his boarding place, but as he approached the graveyard there flitted before him a whiterobed ghost, which disappeared, us he neared it, with a mysterious facility. But, nothing daunted, he pressed rapidly onward to an immense hollow tree, and forced his way into its depths. There was a smothered cry of alarm, the removing of a sheet and Sue Salmon stood panting in the arms of Paul Cheney. 'So I have at last captured the ghost,' he said, laughingly. 'Oh ! please let me go ! See, you have frightened the girls, and they have all ran away. So please let me go.' 'I do not please just now. Miss Susie. I have a long account to settle with this particular ghost.' ' Then settle it quickly, and let me go,' she said, impatiently stamping her little foot. ' Well, let me Bee. How many nights have I been haunted on my way home ?' 'This is my first night,' asserted Sue. ' All the girls took it by turns.' 'Ah I did they ? And you are generous enough to again be their scapegoat, and take their punishment along with your own P' ' Yes, yes ; only please 'et me go.' 'And there were four of you,' and stooping down to her flashing face, he left four kisses burning there. ' I will never forgive you,' she exclaimed, struggling from him, and, standing a little apart, began twisting her long loosened hair, and coiling it at the back of her pretty head. ' I shall be sorry for that; very sorry, Susie dear. As I told you to-day, you make my life miserable, yet I love you with all my soul.' ' And I hate yon,' she replied passionately. ' Are you going, Susie,' questioned he, ' and without a single kind word V ' Yea 1' she snapped oct. ' and give me that sheet. lam sure I don't know what mother will say, because it is so torn.' 'One little word,' ho continued, 'before yon go We may not have another opportunity to Boe each other alone, as I shall leave this place next week.' ' Going away f she asked with a little quiver in her voice, and staying her steps. ' The term will soon be out, and I shall not teach longer—least of all those who bate and refuse to be guided by me.' She drew nearer to his side, with downcast eyes, and giving him ner hand said softly—- • Forgive me, Mr Cheney, I have been very unkind and rebellious. To-day yon bruised your own hand to nave mine. I saw how red and swollen it was, and that was the most severe punishment you could have inflicted on me.' ' A bruised hand is nothing to a bruised heart,' he replied. ' I did not know that I was injuring so important an organ.' 'When you say you hate me, darling " 'l—ldid not mean I hated yon. I am very grateful, and—and eo sorry you are going away.' ' i hen if you love me,' he whispered, twining an arm about her, 'bid me stay.' ' Then—stay— stay, only——' 'Onlywhat, SußieP' 'I am done being scapegoat for any mortal or ghost either.' ,;:' That is right, and henoeforth receive only rewards.'

What she might have said in response he never knew, ae her lips were for the moment effectually sealed. A few months later Paul Cheney's city friend was not surprised at his return, though be was at his bringing back a bride, the chief of his tormenters.