The Literary echo, and Pawcatuck advertiser. [volume] (Westerly, R.I.) 1851-1854, 1854-05-04

uHuduuteu VIII. one was very PldlnIy
dressed in patched and faded calico
which, with her bare feet, and the
meagre supply of books which she seem
ed to possess, impressed me with the
idea that she was very poor. 1aI .
She's strengthening creature,' p
thought l. wonder what her name
is :" And this mental query led me to
thinking that l had not taken the names
of my scholars yet. So l took a sheet
of paper, and my lead pencil, and going
first to the "back seat" where always
sit the eldest scholors, commenced the
process of ascertaining the names and
ages of the rising generation of Lilydale
l soon came to the strange black-cyed
girl. .5 ..
What is your name, my little girl ~
I asked, with one of my plsasantest
smiles, for had taken q strange fancy
TO the child.
Size looked up into my face, surpris-
ed, half wondering, but at what 1 could
not divine. I felt the earnest gaze Of
those midnight black eyes, and my own
almost fell beneath them. But their
mournful expression, even amid their
unearthly brilliancy, went to my heart,
and from that moment, l loved the dark
eyed girl. She seemed too much alb
sorbed to answer my question, and /
was obliged to repeat it, though I now
did so in even kindlier tone than be-
fore. She started suddenly. Her long
lashes fell quickly over the earnest eyes,
and in an instant they were dimmed by
tears. But she recovered herself in a
moment, and, with her eyes still yelled,
she replied, in the sweetest, richest voice
l ever heard
Cecilia Lee"
"And your age :" E
" Fourteen, last week, Thursday"
"And what do you think you shall
study this summer, Zelia ?" I asked
kindly. ..... e." ="
She pointed to the Algebra, Grammar
and Philosophy lying on the seat be-
side her, and then said
81 am going to study these, and I
want to study chemistry and Astronomy,
but l have not any books"
cit will be too much for you to
study all these, Zelia," said 1 per,ua-
sively, you are much too young to tax
your mind to that extent"
90, no." she exclaimed, earnestly.
I can study them all just as easy as
not. l have been partly through them
all but Chemistry. The teacher last
winter lent me her Astronomy"
Singular girl of fourteen only, such
scholar as that The powerful genius
that had predicted from her eyes, was
more than realized.
{" Perhaps" said I, gently, off you
wish to study Chemistry and Astronomy,
your parents will get you books"
Had known what would have been
the effect of these words, never would
have spoken thus. The black eyes of
the poor girl instantly dimmed with
tears, and with one reproachful glance
that went to the bottom of my heart,
she bowed her head silently upon the
bench and burst into food of passionate
tears. l saw l had touched a tender
chord in that sensitive heart and sin
cerely sorry for my indiscretion, /
stopped down and whispered few words
in her ear. She seemed soothed, and
as her tears ceased to flow, 1 passed
onward to my labors.
While examining the merits of the
different scholars that forenoon, l was
astonished and surprised at the amount
of knowledge, on every subject respect
ing which | questioned her, possessed by
Zelia. She was really prodigy of
memory and application, and decidedly
the best scholar in school. And she
understood the principles she could so
we'll explain the very depth and root
was familiar to her strong, cause discov-
cring and applying mind. 1 really re-
spectcd her, aud felt ALMOST in awe of
her scholarship, for / half feared I
should be more taught than teacher as
concerned Zelia!
School was closed at noon, and hastily
tying on my bonnet, I escaped as quickly