New Orleans daily crescent. [volume] ([New Orleans, La.]) 1851-1866, 1852-06-16
THE NEW SCHOLAR
BY MARY IRVING.

ssGirls! girls! Do you know we have got
new scholar p
1t was Laura Burnham, one of the younger
boarders in Miss Stones Seminary, who shouted
this to a group of her mates in the yard, Just
before morning school hours. The girls crowded
around her like so many ants around a lump of
sugar, each asking a different question at the
same moment.
.What is her name'" GLOW large is she ,"
&c Do tell where did she drop from % "Wh hen
did you see her''' sis she coming into school
to-day :" &c Is she green, Laura ?"-were among
the inquiries. The last was the question of Alb
by Rolden, a handsome but ert-looking girl,
nearly head taller than those of her age around
her. A sort of sarcastic smile played over her
lips and in her fine black eyes, marking her as
one of the genus school -girl-species, ga great
tease
How you craze a body! You makemy ears
ache y returned Laura, pressing both hands over
her sun bonnet. 81 tell you, only justhad one
Green'' well, Miss Abby, you may make up
your own mind about that soon enough, for she
is coming into school to-day, suppose. She
looked more black than green to my eye-what
of her dress wasn't covered with dust
" But hername-what's her name? ?' repeated
half dozen. S.=.-- zn'r7'----''7r--7
&c Louise, heard Miss Stone call her; / don't
know the other"
Not Lo-i-sy?' asked Abby, with comical
look that set others laughing. s'Lou-ise '' she
repeated to herself in little mncing voice, with
no emphasis on the last syllable.
GO I wonder whether she'll sit next mel" said
Alice Crawford, quiet sort of child, with
dreamy blue eyes and golden brown hair.
Nome" exclaimed Laura, g Miss Stone
will fill up my seat frst-it's in turn
GO And she'll be your forty eleventh friend,
h''' suggested Abby, playing with spear of
grass.
"No-you provoking thing !'' answered Laura
good humoredly. ''What should want of more
friends than you?'
ooh, I thought it was about time for you to
take new one again-that's all It's all of a
aceeh since you and | cooked up crony ship,
and suspect it is getting cold by this time!'
's You never was any body's friend, Abby
said Laura, turning away with a reproachful
look and tone
Much obliged to you Do youreckon your
self nobody, then;
" had as lief have a new girl, at any rate,''
Laura went on, growing quite crimson in the
face.
Fortunately, the quarrel that was fast coming
on was nipped in the bud by the sharp stroke of
the school bell.
'There! there! nine oclock!" they cried
and away they ran to their seats.
benches, as Miss Stone came in, leading by the
hand q girl about eleven years old. All the
scholars held their breath, and strained their
eyes to look at her; and some even half rose
from their seats to have q better view of the
stranger.
She was dressed in black, as Laura had said
with a wide tumbled white frill around her
neck; hair dark brown, cut short in her neck,
without curling; and face as frightened and
anywhere. You could not see particle of color
in her cheeks or lips, as she involuntarily hung
behind her teacher, shrinking back from the
gaze of so many pairs of blue, black, and hazel
eyes.
Miss Stone herself did not seem to take much
notice of her bashfulness, but, almost pulling
her along, pointed to single desk at the end ot
the school-room.
'There is your seat" she said. &c Your father
wished you to sit alone. Bring your books t.
me, after have opened the school, and | viii
set you at work.
| The school was ''opened' by the reading of o
chapter in the New Testament. Each Of thu
girls read a verse Alice, whose seat was near
est to Louise's: finished hers, and then there
was long pause. Miss Stone looked up impa
tiently
"Whose turn' Oh, Louise's. Do you know
how to read in the TESTAMENT"
Louise maue gesture 1Of " les, ma am
"Well, read, then! Stand up child" Louis
stood up as she was bidden, but it seemed tina
she could not coax her white trembling lips t.
do as they were bidden, for she made one at
tempt, between u gasp and sob, and then
bursting into tears, covered her face with he
book, and shrank down into her seat again.
&C The next!" said Miss Stone, pressing he
fore finger tightly on the verse. Abby curle
her lips, shading it with her hand, and locke
/ down on the new conner with a grimace of con
tempt, then dropping her hand, read the vers
as demurely and correctly as was proper. Lou
Use had not seen her, neither had Miss Stont
but two-thirds of the scholars had and they
taking the hint from her, began to try to despis
the bashful stranger in their hearts. A geog
raphy class was the first one called up, in whic
Louise had any part.
sc I wonder if she'll find her tongue whis
pered Abby to Alice, as they were taking the
places IN the class. Alice looked straight fol
ward at the black board; for she knew that
whisper in school hours was contrary to rule.
sLouise Stoddard,' observed Miss Ston
bending to put her name on the class list. III
girls looked at each other
&c Your places, young ladies. Sit upright"
&c Louise, what is the capital Of Maine?"
No answer Louise turned winter than eve
(" Do you know, Louise Then speak. Y
. must say something. If you do not know, 81
so; if you know, tell me-what is the capital
Mo;no, Noo ,bu o,,;,o c,oe,,.