Burlington free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1827-1865, 1843-01-20
THE NEW SCHOLAR.
ny T. S. ARTHUR.

1ioW w yOu iINc tiIdt hUI StHCy ASK.
cd ono girl Of another, ut a boarding school,
alludng TO IA new scholar that had been en-
tered day or t"o before.
~ don't like her at ALL" was 3cesply,
accompanied by "A slight expression Of con-
tempt.
Neither do l." reioined her companion,
whose name was Martha Wild. "She's the
mcanest looking girl in the whole house,"
And ugly as sIn."
"Did you ever see such bonnet as that
she had on when sl,c came I"
20 dear Don't mention tho thing
! thought should have died laughing when
| saw it. And then that outandish dress
with the waist under her arms. II looked as
if il might have been made in the year one"
Just at that moment a plainly dressed,
quiet looking girl, with a face ever tllorf ht-
Jul and subdued for one Of her years, passed
near the two misses, who so far forgot them
selves at the moment as to laugh aloud, and
throw upon her half concealed glances of
ridculc.
MARTHA" said one of the teachers, COM
ing up at the moment, and addressing the
eldest of the two in grave voice, " am
sorry to see you thus forgetting yourself"
1T is wrong know" Martha replied,
somewhat abashed at being detected in so
unkind an unlad ylikc act, "but then, how
can help laughing at herr"
am sure, Martha, that can sec Moth
ing about Ann Stacy to excite feelings of
mirll."
"Not in her old fashioned, hi,ched-up
dress! ha ha The very thought Of it
makes me taught"
odd YOU never see short-waisted frock
before in your life 7" asked the teacher still
with grave face.
90 yes. But not for five years or more"
"And wore them then, no douht.."
"Of course. They were fashionable at
that time"
"And now YOU so far forget yourselves, as
to be guilty of the unladylkc act of wound
ing the feelings of Il strange Young Girl, be 1.
cause she happens To have on trock cut
in the very style Of those you wore a few
years ago, and no doubt thought very be-
coming"
at is not only that, Miss Compton," said
Martha with a more serious air. "rake
her all in all, she is one Of the most disagree
able girls in the school, besides being moi,
exactly of the RICH, Kind of company to intro
dncc among Young ladies' of our standing"
"As to her being disagrceabc," replied
the teacher, "lhat, presume, is a mere d".,
the result OF an unjust prejudice
mo, indeed, Miss Compton 1t is not.
Sho i, certainly, the most unpleasant in
her appearance, face and manners of any
girl have ever met. Indeed. so mucl, so
is she to me-, that cannot feel or act at all
kindly towards her.
do you know any thing abou, her 7"
"No."
odd you ever see her before she came
to this school 7"
"Ncvcr."
"Of course, then, she has only been here
for few days, your prejudice against her
is caused by some improper acts on her part.
Is it not SO -
20 as TO that. I've never seen any thing
particularly out Of the way about her. Shes
GOOD enough, no doubt, but can't bear her.
"And the reason is, if rightly understand
YOU. because she is not handsome, and wears
clothes not made in the height of the fashion.
81 didn', say so Miss Compton,"
"Bul all YOU have said conviuccs me that
you have no better reason"
The two Young ladies seemed half often
died. at tins rcaark, which had in it more
truth than they t,'ll willing to hear. Miss
Compton saw this, and said no more upon
the subject.
About week from that time, Martha
Wild awoke one morning with heavy chill,
which passed of in the course of AN hour,
and was succeeded by burning fever, ac-
companied by most violent pain in the
hack, and slugcishrcss Of the whole system.
A physician was sent for, who said that she
was very sick, and he feared would be i'll for
some time. His fears were too true. /,
was several weeks before she left her room,
during which time she suffered much, botl,
from the disease, and the violent action OF
the powerful remedies which her physic ian
administered.
For the frs, few DAYS of her sickness, her
young companions gathered about her bed
and WED with each other IN their Offices
But as the disease progressed, and she be.
came more helpless, and the attendance or
her more and more unpleasant, one by one
they lc'l OIL IN l'lelT aIlen'lOnS, ana at las
she was left alone with the hired nurse of the
institution. No, not alone either; for there
was young, unobirusive, and gentle girl
for whom none seemed 10 feel any interest
who might often be seen going quietly TO hc
room, and moving about The bed of the sick
scholar with a slealhy siep-now soothing
or read Jusling "A pillow, now holding cool
ing draught to lips dry and parcllcd with fe
yer, and now looking down upon the face o
the invalid with an expression of deep com
misseralion.
AT las, Martha became SO i'll that she coul,
not be left alone, night nor day. Ever,
; night some one or two Of the young ladies' %
the school had to sit up with her. At frs
this was kind Of novelty, and there wrr,
several ready to offer themselves. But only
few days had passed before this one was no
well, and that one had some other excuse
I until the whole task of watching by ,hc he'd
side of Martha Wild dcvolvcd upon the mrs
and Ann Stacy, who performed the task nioh
after night, alternately.