Worcester daily spy. [volume] (Worcester [Mass.]) 1850-1888, 1860-07-26
aQ(mtester 4ailg Spp.
WRITTEN FOR THE WORCESTER DAILY sPY.1
BOARDING SCHOOLS.

man whose esteem above all others she nrized
But stranger than all, they expressed SEMI
mentS not her own. Then why had she alter.
ca these words, why permitted them to escape
from her lips, when she knew they were a base
libel upon her real sentiments and repugnant
to the feelings of her auditor?
= "She knew why! that detestable shirt of
coquetry, so foreign to her really ingenious
nature, she well knew where it originated.
She was so sorrowfuI for her own conduct that
she could no longer relish the festivities of the
occasion, nor she felt could she remain without
betraying her grief to her companions which
she feared they might attribute to Ned's alb
sence, and therefore she silently Withdrew :
giving no intimation of her intentions.
''She reached home unobServed, where she
Immediately retired to the privacy of her own
room, as if i'll closing the door to all external
intrusions, she might also shut out the torment
ing thoughts which harassed her On the way
to her own room, she passed the door of Ned's
which standing little ajar, revealed that va.
cant confusion which denotes the deDarture of
a recent occupant.
"Ihe picnic party missed Ned and Kate
but apprehended no cause for alarm in their
absence and many meaning smile and glance
was exchanged by the members of the com
pany, at their mutual disappearance. Aunt
Ruth went home, not so devoid of interest if
not of anxiety, but that she fastened to Kate's
room for solution Of the matter as soon as
she entered the house
"Her bonnet and shawl lay where they had
been carelessly flung, upon the floor while
Kate, pale with emotion, sat resting her el.
bows upon the table with her face buried in her
hands.
Gas if she OWNED intuitively something
of the cause of such an uncommon appear.
ance, Aunt Ruth went directly up to Kate
took her head gently between her two hands
and looked inquiringly yet tenderly in her
face as she said, what is the matter my dear
child
Either the tone or the rushing thought of
the all, which as fatal calamity she had
brought upon herself completely overcame
poor Kate; she could only lay her head against
that motheriy breast and sob away her grief,
to her surcharged heart.
"Soothingly Aunt Ruth stroked the droop-
ing head, occasionally touching the forehead
with her lips, as she bent over it, until her
grief had in a measure subsidized, when she
again said, scarce above whisper, what is it
Kate tell me all
"Oh Aunt Ruth, replied Kate, in voice
choked with grief, 4 have disgraced myself;
have behaved ridiculously to Ned and have
driven him from home
" DO not grieYe so my dear, he will soon re-
NNAii "iiNh al Neli pIOOdDly ne GADldlllGu ana
confidence restored
Never! never Aunt, he will despise me
too much to seek for or listen to an explana-
ton. Nor would | be any the better for one,
since 1t could only degrade me still lower in
his estimation; and the tears of the weeping
girl flowed atresh at the thought of such a
probability
"'Well, tell me Kate, what it is I can then
Judge better l cannot think you would act
criminally.'
"'Oh Aunt, there are2some things meaner
sen than crime, for their guilt can find no
palliation. | almost wish it had been a crime
instead of degrading folly, for then the pen
atty might have proved for me some pallia-
ton
"Aunt Ruths invitation to confidence de-
termined Kate to confess everything to her;
humbling though the confession might be- So
she repeated the conversation which had pass.
ed between herself and Ned, withholding or
extenuating nothing. Then she told of his
subsequent abrupt departure. Aunt Ruth re-
manned in silent thought a few minutes after
Kate ceased speaking before she inquired Sc
riously, Kate do you love Ned 2
Better than all the world beside, than even
words can tell p
with your natural candor to him, Instead of
saying what you did The whole affair seems
inconsistent, to say the least
"'Oh! replied Kate, indignant at the
thought, 1T was the folly Of my school educa-
ton speaking out. 1t was only the natural re-
suit of the reading and conversation which
prevailed among us girls there. Very little is
there understood or inculcated Of genuine
noble love, but only of morbid silly passion
which only manitests itself in declarations
and scenes. The code then drawn from
the trashy literature which is devoured
by most of the girls is, that it would
quite derogate from young lady's character
to candidly acknowledge any preference she
might have for young man, and rest satisfied
with his attentions to the exclusion of all 9TH
ers Her charms and influence would rank
very low, If she could not captivate more than
one. A single sutton is reckOned scarcely bet
ter than none at all. A girl is next TO the
lowest point in the pleasing scale, who has but
one string to her bow.
CA little dash of coquetry is deemed essen.
tial to the attainment of high niche in the
young ladies temple OF fame, and girl would
at once be voted fiat, who had never made
more than one conquest. Filtration is the
grand zest of life in the opinion of a majority
of school girls, and She who can boast of most
such victories, is looked upon as quite hero
Inc. 1t is astonishing with how much relish
the girls listen to recitas of flirtatons and CO.
quetish conquests, each revolving in her own
mind how she may Guido the heroine of the
recital. The practlcing OF airs and the laying
of plans for this purpose, are by no means un-
common.
Accordingly they adopt as principle of
action, that it is time enough for girls to be
domestic, and sensible, and reasonable, when
the youthful charms have no longer the abili-
ty to elicit admiration. But until that time
,,;,, tl,,,,
try their charms III winning the other sex, that
they may have the pleasure OF refusing them !;
lest it should appear that we value our skill
too lightly and sell ourselves too cheaply.'
And are these really among the lessons
which girls learn at boarding schools Z? asked
szdnt Ruth, distrustfully
"'Ihey are certainly part of what they
learn, Aunt, though l suppose their teachers
would hardly credit it, since they are not
among the list of their studies. But you may
believe me when say, that the scholars are
more apt teachers and pupils among each 9th.
er, than in any other department of the inst-
tuition.
"Among the scientific and literary studies,
these come in, like condiments among the sub
stantials. little seasoning Of this kind rem
ders the other more paatable, and lucky may
the girl consider herself, who does not so vi
tlate her taste, as ever after to crave these high
seasoned viands, to the exclusion of more
plain, yet wholesome fare
And why do not mothers know of this 2
asked Aunt Ruth, still scarcely creditng whal
she had heard.
"'l know not was the reply, unless be-
cause they do not wish to do so. 1t seems to
me that very little penetration is necessary to
see the arliliclalities and supertcialities of
young girl after she has graduated from {
boarding school,
Aunt Ruth kissed Kate more tenderly thar
usual, and left her without further remark n.