Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1862-11-21
4 COUNTRY STORY.

- e,
both large and small, handsome and homely,
and endowed with the usual variety of talent
and disposition peculiar TO a school. There were
reetless boys, who spent all their leisure time
in cutting cut barns and houses on the writing
desks; boys who drew comic pictures with red
chalk on the plastering, and then gravely
boys who thought the flavor of an apple great
~ Improved IL IL could be privately eaten dur
ing school hours. There were girls who show
90 Their artistic taste =, by picking the nap on
mats in their spelling books; and some who
showed their natural predictions by keeping
their readers filed with paper dolls There
were scholars who always had good lessons,
and some who were hopelessly stupid. There
were some who were always the teachers
favorites, and such generally enjoyed immuni-
ties from punishment not accorded to others
guilty OF the same offenses. Woe to the I'M
lucky pupil who excited the aversion of the
teacher, and, after that, of the school: but such
are found in nearly all collections Of the
young. For downright tyranny commend me
TO a district school. There, might makes right,
the maj crity make rules for the dcspised mi
feels TO act out his or her impulses often des-
cends into personal abuse.
Among those who for years stemmed the
current OF appropriately in the district in ques-
zion was Betsey Morse. Betsey was truly an
uEiniT resting specimen OF girihood; homely
and unsraceful, and without any of the men,
tai briliiancy that would have made her res
pscted, she seemed truly what her chief tor
mentor,sWill Hopkins, designated her, ga reg
q. Hlar gawky." Just because nature had been
less bouBtiful TO her thah TO others, she SEEM
ed to he singled ont mark for every ones
malice Some one always stood ready 10 upset
her dinner basket, cr perform some other I'M
poor BPtsey punished for misdemeanors COM
mitted by others, who adrSitly laid the blame
on her. Nearly every teacher for years-and
they had n new one every season-seemed 10
have the faculty of believing ANYTHING of her
that they wished. Betsey bore ali these things
pretty patiently L do not know how she
couio nave wei done bette and II never seem
ed 10 enter her mind that she could rebel with
any success She had no brother TO protect her,
no sister TO sympatbiZe with her, and her pa
rents were staid. reserved people, whose lives
seemed far apart. from that of their lonely
child.
But there came time in Betsey's school,
days when for two whole winters she had r
champion. Mortimer Bliss came 90 wn from
- the North to stay with his aunt, Mrs. Brewer,
and go toschool He was fourteen 81 that time,
about Betsey's age, bnt her opposite in every
respect. Handsome, generous, and full of ami
nation, he was as much liked by all as she
was disliked. His love of Justice caused him
often TO became the defender of Betsey from
her train of prosecutors. "Come. boys he
would say. ''tbat's not fair and would often
shame them into better behavior.
There were many rival spelling schools held
IN that and the adjoining districts about
those days, and il was owing to- Mortimer that
Betsey was invited TO go with the rest of the
school Whenever they went away from home
TO exhibit their spelling. Will Hopkins used
70 propose that they should draw cuts who
should ask her 10 60, but Mortimer, who had
Kind OF daring about unpopular things, would
say. "Now, Betsey, be sure and have your
hood and shawl on when come along
and Betsy. thinking herself favored 10 90 at
all. was perfectly satisfied with her informal
invitation. Before Mortimer coming, she had
been especially sighted at their own spelling
schools. II seemed 10 require a great deal of
moral courage in the chOoser to- select Betsey,
anhoueh she was not an indifferent speIier,
but Mortimer had set them such an exampl. of
better things, that while he remained in Pine
vile, she was comparatively happy. He re-
turned 10 MS nome every spring, ana came
back again when the winter school commruc.
ed. school opened the third season. however
without his arrival, but he was daily expect
ed, ana the scholars were tip-toe with delight,
when. one day at the noon recess Sarah REV
er, BIS cousin, entered in tears. with the intel
hgence that Mortimer was dead-had died
suddenly. about the time he was expected to
SET out 10 return there. The scholars heard the
news with that kind of awe with which the
young hear such things, and an unusual 81
fence prevailed for time, when ii was observ-
ed that Betsey Morse was weeping quietly but
Proiusely. Will Hopkins was the first 10
notice u, and IL turned the current Of his ideas
wall, wouldn't cry, Betsey,'' said he, in a
moekinS voice, ''you'Il spoil your pretty face.
and that would be such a pity'' II don't
care, said Betsey, reused for once TO defend
herself, che was good TO M, any how''
"a Better dry zap though" pursued her tor,npn
tor, '.,aint likely he'd ever looked at YOU if
ned lived 10 get married" Betsev disdained
70 reply Pretty Marie Blair, who sat not far
attacks on Betsey, did not dream that she was
encouraging the very disposition which would
one day, when exercised towards herself. IN IKE
her paning, unhappy wife.
Had Betsey been OF a sensitive nature, she
would nave been soured by her-experience at
senooli but nature, in depriving her Of her
beauty, mad kindly seemed 10 withhold the
sensibility that would Otherwise have caused
ner so much suffering She became toIerable
scholar, and although ut the age of eighteen TO
use an expression of Will HOPKINS, .she bid
q Sh,.N NJ "A
AZ least useful member of society. She did
not mingle much with those Of her own age
and Whenever she did attend any of the ga her
tngs of the young folks, she used to set like a
neglected wall-nower, unless some amiable
one invited her TO Assist i'm the amusemputs OF
the evening. But IL Betsey lacked the charms
which won admiration. she had at least mo- en-
Wy OF those more favored than herself in such
respects. She listened To the stories of the
conquests OF her mates with longing wonder
tnat Was strange 10 see, and when any of the
riyai bellies had quarrel among them
selves, and undertook 10 get Betsey's syInpa-
thy, she gave II as freely If they had no, al
ways Before systematically slighted her.
Bctsey was snch a proficient with her
needle that after she had left school her parents
hau akeh her away To learn trade. ami on
nsr return she went from house 70 house sew
ing. ms occupation she followed for wears
betsey hao accepted the verdict of her school
mates, and never seemed to out-erow the I'M
preston OF her unpopularity AT school Sin.
had no eonfdant, and in the quiet routine OF
her life she fell into habits Of re,ery She
INTERNATIONALLY.
and IN the meantime wander of into a n.srld
OF unrsality. She was ever meeting there
some hero, and, almost Un cons ciouSIy 10 her
SELF he would take on the form and features OF
Mortimer Bliss, He was 10 rescue her from
her iahorions lite. and love her rs in her secret
neart she longed 10 be loved. Nobody knew
better IMAM Betsey herself that hose dreams
would never come true: hut the very r.,
fage OF inelr unreality seemed 10 give them an
p added charm. " "
Thus passed five years of Betsavs vourb
Sne nad almost ceased 10 think OF marriage as
her LOT, and Rad she remained in tho neighlor
hood where she Was d, she MIGHT h.,
equalied public expectation and been an old
maid: but some good fortune took her away
Ten miles, 10 an aunt's, TO do her fall sewinS
There she made other acquaintance, went
about some, and finally passed the entire win
ter. For some reason, Betsey appeared TO m nch
better advantage away from home sh, was no
longer Betsey, who at school had been leased
oy half her mates and laughed ~ by the other
but Miss Morse
The first place that Betsey went Ia from
tncle Ben Slocum's was Mr.. Bronsou's one
OF the best and richest farmers @. the town
Ihere was large family and her services
were required month NJ