Belmont chronicle. [volume] (St. Clairsville, Ohio) 1855-1973, 1869-02-18

hungry. As this thought crossed my mind
heard madsme's voice 1t my elbow. STARTED
for knew hsd been thinking treason.
I aTerese Lavalie you may show Aadenno1sell
Peyton her bed Sheist to take little Maria Ro
lands place When you hasedone this. fntfO
duce her to Miss Rose ~ iisix 9
With this madame giided o.. Terese Lavsiie
Tor this was the giri who had bean talking VIC
me, looked at me minute In silence The
she said, with droll expression on hsr facs: !
/. .You have already offended Madame vistotrs
HoWet l,i-ff- 81 i- p isfl, ~ if2sssf
As we walked along the long hall on our VA
up stairs told her. -,s-'ii "a
.weil, you are Al uniucky girl. Ma iame vii
never forgive you that. depend uponit. nsher
isanything she prides herself upon, It 10 he
youthful looks. Nations may decay, individ
uals grow old and perish, but Madame Adei
Vfetoire il as immortal as the gods"
| "I am sure, though, she looks years older thai
her portrait. And that is Q nuns dress. too
| Was madame ever q nunf" ~ Isl , p
Terese shook her head solemnly. Her tw'
small black eyes twinkied mysteriously. ~
| 1T would be hard to tell what madame has o.
has not been. I've heard queer stories, and .
| will you il you keep your ears open. Some sas
madame is the 'daaghter of a distinguishes
| French esotore Indeed, she hints at this, and
smiles sadly when the revolution Of % is ta3lu
ded to: butotliers intimate than she came herr
| poor and unknown, and got into society through
the good Offices of q Mr.. ST. Clair who knew
more Of her than he ought to; and there IL 8
| story that she was q dancer In Q New York
thestre-then q teacher ofianguaess to the aris.
| toerscy of that Yankee city. and 50 got to know
Mr.. St. Clair. Don't you hate the Yankees?'
said Terese, suddenly interrupting herself
mo! Why should I:' llli.--7
why? Because you are Southern, and every
true Southerner should hate the Yankees. I'm
glad you don't, though, for now you'll love Miss
Rose. Madame sneers at her, and . good many
of the girls don't like her, but love her deariy
who is Miss Roses"--
"The English teacher. I am 70 introduce you
to her. She CLASSES all the new girls and teaches
English to the French and Creole scholars. Now
if you have looked at. the room long enough
we'll go down." sSi a1 fIas Is.-sp sa
took another look at it. It was aiong room
long enough for six marrow white beds to stand
in . row with space between them for q w.sh-
stand and chair, and SO marrow that only an
aisle ran along at the foot of thelr beds. But It
was very light and neat, and clean. Indeed, as
I afterwards learned. the whole immediate per-
sonal supervision Of Madame victoire who was
daintily neat in all her ways and belonginga
to be a small recitation room. Half score of
the youngest girls were here. and the air was
vocal with cries OF Miss Roseg, g Miss Rose -
Miss Rose, indeed!' said Terese. g Virginia
Forrest, why don't you shout a little louder?--
Don't YOU know how deaf Miss Rose is:'' .o-9
No, she isn't deaf! Are you. Miss Ross.'
said the child quite indignant. 81 a-lz -1.H
Miss Rose looked around, and seeing nae smil-
cd and held out her hand. Ny heart went out
to her from that moment don't know that
she was what Is called beautiful. Hercompiex-.
ion was not 30 pure as madsme's the contour Of
cheek and chin not 80 delicate and perfect, her
eyebrows were not so exquisitely arched. But
her eyes were brown, gentl and kind, and she
had a sweet, sweet smile that must have been
the hearts sunshine break ing outward. When
grew to know Alice Rose better thinkI was
glad that she was not beautiful. commonly
tire OF beautiful faces. But never looked at
Miss Rose without wanting to look again and
without loving her better. .f .saH~ ls-
This is Miss Peyton.p said Terese Lavalle. it
Miss Rose held nay hand in q soft. warm clasp
q minute and said: ..ii- -.-.,-,...,,; .i.ftf js.
What is.your fisst name - ~ HL
''Josie! o Miss Rose, wish you would call
me by it," said, impulsiveiy. -.,,-,,i-. vle3Sl,
"T Thank you, Josie. / like the name and &.
Let US see what you want to do here si lH
sat down. ana as If sne had been my own
dear elder sister confessed to her my igno-
rance, told her of my loneliness, OF my mothers
death, my fathers going into the army and my
utter homesickness and hopelessness till now
A little more set her mouth became, little
less her color, q little her eye darkened when
spoke Of my father, and that was all. And yet
being Yankee knew where her sympathies
must be. After half an hours talk we went
away. ... ...s ... ..'....... y...,., ..-
Isn't she splendide % said Terese ..If all
Yankees are like her l wouldn't mind being
Yankee myself" ......-....a. a.e
This was my frst introduction to Madame
Victoire and her seminary. And months went
by before anything remarkable occurred. In
that year I had learned to understand
madame pretty well. very quickly found that
what learned would depend almost wholly
upon myself. Madame never risked her reputa-
tion by attempting to coerce q dull scholar. She
simply praised, and petted, and contented her
self with sneerinE at the incompetent behind
her back.
Adele Fictoire a French woman. No
other nation under heaven could have deveiop-
ed character SO subtle, SO unscrupulous, able,
plausible and insncere as hera
soon found that there was M escaping madame's
espionage. While apparently the largest liberty
was allowed the girls, they we're in reality kept
under the strictest surveillance. No letter
entered or left the house Of which madame did
not master the contents. II two or three pupils
talked or walked together, madame was sure to
be within earshot II q girl held conference
with any Of the under-teachers, madame was q
silent, unseen witness, Sheglided up and down
stairs and through the long halls in soundless
her dress never rustled her light foot
fall never awoke echo. But always when
you thought yourself alone she betrayed her
presence. There WAS something uncanny IN it. /
L gave me an odd sort of shiver tolook around !
In the midst Of an honest conversation and see
placid face and q stersotyped smile. !
But Terese Lavelle laughed al me. ~ a9-fii-i
"Of course she watches u.s. Its a part Of her
system, that either herself or Father Antoine |
shall be always on duty - said Tersse Lavalle.
Have spoken of Father Antoine:- Madame
was devoted Catholic. she had . little oratory /
n the back part OF the house. whittier she was |
often used to retire. Father Antoine was her !
confessor. More than than that he was her
[fany one had influence with madame 1t was |
Father Antoine. There were storries current In !
.he school which substantiatea this. For the !
rest the father was mild-looking man enough, |
with small, keen dark eyes, very |
oW ana solt OF voice, anu gentle OF manner
BE was known to sometimes win holidays for |
he girls which would not otherwise have been |
granted. Nevertheless not one Of US liked the |
lather. The aversion, If not founded on reason, |
vas based upon instinct. Even the Catholic !
pupils-and almost all of the French and Creole |
girls were of that faith-shunned Father An |
toine and had no good 10 say Of him.
The under-teachers were puppets of Madame |
VICTORIES, under-paid and dependent upon her |
1ill-all except Alice Rose. 1 don't think abe |
aver swerved from the straight Ii of duty, ever
praised pupil or nattered parent to please |
madame. Indeed, Miss Roses indexible con-
scientiousness was the talk Of the school, Some |
Of the girls did not understand it. some of them