Gypsy's Cousin Joy

rt, and a little angry, at hearing her say, one day, that she "didn't think i

this term, was broken up by the marriage of the teacher, so she had no choice in the matter. The boys at the high school were, some of them, rude, but the girls for the most part were quiet, well-behaved, and lady-like, and the instruction was

't care,"

; but Gypsy had been brought up to believe it was a disgrace to get bad marks. Joy had not. She hurried through her lessons in the quickest possible fashion, anyhow, so as to get through, and out to play

mischief, out of it, sorry for it, and in again. Joy did wrong deliberately, as she did everything else, and did not become penitent in a hurry. Gypsy's temper was like a flash of lightning, hot and fierce and melting right away in the softest of summer rains. When Joy was angry she sulked. Joy was precise and neat about everything. Gypsy was not. Then Joy kept still

whistle. The air sparkled like a fountain of golden sands, and was as full of oxygen as it could hold; and oxygen

eft shoulder, her turban set all askew on her bright, black hair, her cheeks flushed from the jumping of fences and running of races that had been going on since she left the hous

the schoolhouse steps, "I feel precisely as if I should m

he do to you

bad marks. Miss Melville-she's my old teacher that married Mr. Hallam, she was just silly enough!-well,

ed frown, when he saw her in the doorway, with Joy peeping over her shoulder. So Gypsy-somewhat reluctantly, it must be confessed, for the boys seemed to be having a good time, and with boys' good times she had a most unconquerable sympathy-went up with Joy into Miss Cardrew's recitation room. Nobody was there. A great, empty schoolroom, with its rows of silent seats and closed desks, with power to roam whithersoever you will, and do whatsoever you choose, is a great temptation. The girls ran over the desks, and looked into the desks, jumped over the settees, and k

to do," sighed Gypsy; "someth

eacher on the board in green chalk," suggested Joy;

legs of the teacher's chair, and all that. I don't know as I care to tumble Miss Cardrew over-wouldn't she look funny

somehow," said Joy;

hook he

behind the stove-flat, just as Miss Melville was coming in, and lay there in the wood-pile, and nobody knew

n the yard. The girls ran t

kit

very

right down

Gypsy warmed her in her apron, and Joy fed her with cookies from her lunch-basket, till she curled her head under her paws with a merry purr, all ready for a nap, an

suddenly, "I've tho

have

ress

a handk

thi

now

put h

Miss Card

it be

id! Hur

might, pussy could not get it off. Gypsy's black silk apron was tied about her, like a long baby-dress, a pair of mittens were fastened on her arms, and a pink silk scarf around her throat. When all was done, Gypsy held her up, and trotted her on h

girls!-qui

and away flew the kitten, all tangled in the apron, maki

rs, and maybe Miss

ip end of her tail just as she was preparing to pounce

in-quic

e won't l

Give me some biscuit-there!

uggling to get out with all her might.

ll! Oh, hear her me

stairs-halfway up; merry l

poor kit-ty, do please to lie still and

she's

he desk

, looking over the arithmetic lesson. Joy's book was upsi

at the girls. All was still so far in the desk. Miss Cardrew went up and laid down her gloves and pu

hall not be able to meet as usual in No. 1 for prayers. It has been thought best that

Joy, and Joy l

tching sound broke into the pause. Miss Cardrew looked u

ow," whispered Joy, sto

, I almost wis

Miss Cardrew, with her Bible in her hand. No, she hadn

ll only last till she

he's lookin

read. She had read j

ia

place. Miss Cardrew looked up and around the roo

! mi-ao

d the room, over the platform, und

ny of you mak

an to read again. All at onc

look t

he

wn the outsid

uppose she's

bottl

om was very still. Right into the stillness the

aow-

ew laid down her Bible a

hool to this day tha

he nightcap and black apron, leaped down, and flew, all dripping with ink, dow

papers from the desk. It was too late; they were dripping, and drenched, and black. The teache

ew then, in her grave, s

y ans

in my desk?" rep

ooking carelessly about the room, scanning the faces of the gi

ned the desk and shut the cover down on herself," said Miss Cardrew

uess I-ha, ha!-di

g the same question of every girl, and the second row,

did you put the k

which was true enough. It wa

Miss Cardrew remembered that Gypsy had had something to do w

sy, with crimson face an

did yo

e her the biscuit. I-thought she'd keep still

not put her

o'

u know

es

ference to Gypsy. She had shut up her lips tight and not another word would she have said for anybody. She had to

and stay an hour after school tonight," said Miss

," said Jo

nything to

y, without the sligh

-Sarah

else. Miss Cardrew let the matter dro

atience and disgust. This thing Joy had done had shocked her so that she felt as if she could not bear the sight of her face or touch of her h

Gypsy what was the matter, but Gypsy said "Nothing." If

oon; "nobody can get a word out of you, and you d

on!" exploded Gypsy, with flashing eyes. "

gly thing alone!-I don't see why you need treat me as if I'd been murdering somebody and were going to be hung for i

pink lips tight, a

great frolic after school, and Gypsy stayed shut up in the lonely schoolroom for an hour, disgraced and

e sitting drearily together in the d

looking out of the window; "w

much care. She had told Miss Cardrew all s

to her with the whole story that noon,

through a crack in the door as Miss Cardrew passed through the entry; "

a very grave face, a purple-bordered handkerchief in her hand; it was

oy

t of the co

ere a m

hat next half hour Gypsy never knew. Joy came upstai

tanding by

yp

el

e dearly, now

aid Gypsy; "ev

t was so wicked-not the le

uddenly, with quive

never asked; Joy never told her-