Burlington free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1827-1865, 1848-04-21
Dress anG A00ress.
BY NATHAN sARGEANT.

BY Nathan SARGEANT.
[The following plain and unvarnishcd
tale appears TO have been written with a
view to rebukc species of impertinence
that is altogether too prevalent in our schools.
whore the children Of persons in alllucnt
circumstances are mingled with those of pa.
rents possessing but moderate means of sup.
port. We perfectly coincide in the opinion
that the distinctions Of fortune should never
be recognized in the school but that. OH
the contrary, the palm Of cmncnce in these
sacred retreats of learning should only be
awarded to superior moral and intellectual
merit.
MOTHER said Emily Churchill. rs she
came home from sTrrIool, one idav in the
month of December, 1891, i wish YOU
would take me from school, or send me TO
anothcrl'
why my dear chld? am surprised
to hear you say so. thought YOU were
fond of your teacher, Mrs. Amcnull 2
And so am; love her dearly, she is
so kind and amiablc.'
'Why then do you wish TO leave the
school p
Because I am SO unhappy there
'Why are you unhappy! You get your
lessons well, stand at the head of your class,
have the appreciation Of your teacher, and |
know you are learning fast. should think
you would be very unwilling to leave the
school. Tell me the reason WHY you are
unhappy
] do not like to tell you mother; know
| ought not TO be so, and will try not to be
so any more, and say nothing about it,
But | wish you TO tell me, my dear;
do not think you unreasonable there must
be some cause for your complaint. Tell
me what it is.
- You will think me very foolish, am
afraid, mother, but cannot help feeling So
Perhaps may think you foolish, but
must insist on knowing the cause of your
feelings
You know Arabclla Goldfnch, Eliza.
beth Manners, Eliza Ann Pardow, and sew.
eral other girls whose parents are very
wealthy and live in great style, are in the
same class with me-.
Ncs, ! have heard you speak of it before;
but what has that to do with the matter ?
'Their parents are very rich and dress
them very elegantly
Yes, but hope You do not make your.
self unhappy because you cannot vie witt
them in fine clothes. You are well dressed
quite as well as we can afford to dress
you, and your clothes, my daughter are
much more expensive than those wore
when went to schocl although my parents
T hope You are 40, So silly as &, To WISH tc
wear clothes which we cannot afford, be.
cause other girls dress better than yourself.
mo, no, mother you misunderstood me
do not wish so know you do all you
can for me, and more than ought to eX-
pect but these girls cndeayor to make fun
of my dress, and ridiculemc because wear
the same frocks so often. and because also
wear leather shoes. They jccr at me, and
ask me how many dress have, what they
cost and wonder if the shoes wear are not
very expensive So too, with my bonnet
shawl, and every thing wear. | know
ought not to mind them, but cannot help
feeling very uncomfortable when they thus
try to ridcule me, and especially when SC
many of my school mates join in the laugh
they raise against me. cannot help cry
ing, and wish could get away from them.
i do not at all wonder at your feelings
my dear child; few can stand the rldlculC
of others unmoyed, where, as in the present
case, it is without cause and to sensitive
mind, it is like the application Of vinegar tC
fresh wound. Your clothes, though no
so rich and costly as those worn by the girl
who thus attempt to ridiculc you, are a
good as our circumstances will permit IL
/ to give you, and they are good enough 70
any one TO wear at school, no maitcr how
rich her parents may be. To dress as thos'
girls do is, think, great folly, and mucl
more deserving Of reproach than to dres
as you do. regret that You are thus cir
cumstanccd, and liable to have your feeling
hurt daily, but cannot help it. The schoo
is a good one, and You are learning fast
and we cannot think of taking you away
You must tortify yourself against the ridi
iculc of the girls you speak OF, by rccolleci
ing that the dress is really of very liltl
consequence, that it is the mind and the dis
position. which after all, constitute the rcG
worth of woman. Suppose you were
, dress up monkey in silks and laces an
iewelry, and send it to school every day |
a carriage, with lool'Han to let down til
steps and open the door; would ii be any
thing but monkey still After all, til
, girls who ridiCulc your dress are more
be pticd than yourself, and are much les
t deserving of blame than their mothcrs.-
, They are taught, if not by precept, at lea
by example, at home, that one 5 importanc
depends entirely upon wealth, dress an
furniture and that the only merit one ca
have is money. lpresumo they care yer
little for their books and scarcely ever kno
their lessons, when they come to recite.'
, THAT is the case, mother they say the
:. will not study; and they have not time
g do so at home, they have to 90 out so niue
: and have so much company.
l. Poor girls, pity them. Suppose, NJ
!, dear Emily, that their parents should /
= :, some chance lose their property and b
Q come poor; (and the wcalthiest are lab
!. to lose all in this country, as riches tai
;, unto themselves wings and fly away o
l. ten when least expected y what won
e they do! How they would then rcgr
u that they had neglected the opportuniti
,c they are now throwing away, of obtainir
a !" an education which might enable them
secure a handsome support, and save ther
solvos tho modification of being a burd,