The daily phoenix. [volume] (Columbia, S.C.) 1865-1878, 1869-05-12


that school. Her mother was dead: th
goyerness who had edpceted the girl so fa
chose to marry; there was nothing for it bu
to bring her away.
Then she was not strong. and they though
the climate might invigorate the little frai
body, whicl1 was frettedsby the passionat
soul like n scabbard by a keen Damascu
blade.
When Dolores felt the necessity, her drol
OF English blood enabled her to submit to he
fate with tolerable composure-gave her
feverish power of application which ne
pure -blooded Cuban could have compre
hended, and energy enough to hurry o1
with all her might, the sooner to escape.
But it had not been hard; she was pette,
by everybody; even the stately Lady Abbes
smiled complacence with her whims Sh,
studied only such things as pleased her, &c
cording to her fathers express direction
She had boundless pocket-money, stores O
pretty valuables, and friends who often tool
her to town for weeks holiday.
The little passion flower had thriven anC
bloomed into rapid beauty; but that was al
over-the season of enjoyment and being
cared for and petted, all over. A tornado
had swept across her spring, and there was
not hope left unharmed. Six months be
fore her father had died very suddenly, and
died insolvent. There were few relatives
and none that chose to help and recognize
Dolores.
She just had the tidings flung in upor
her that she was an orphan and destitute
then was left to weather the stor N or bt
beaten down, as it chanced The friend.
who had been kind to her since she came tc
the North had gone to Brazil; there was ne
one of whom she could even ask advice.
1t was in such crisis that her Saxor
blood did her good service; but for the en-
ergy and capability of endurance which il
gavo her, she must have gone mad or died
though since then she had sometimes
thought either fate would have been bless
ing.
Everybody at the school was full of pity
of course, but she could not bear to be
pitied. Even in the first DAYS of utter
prostration, she could have better borne
dagger-thrusts than the vague sympathy
feminine nature has for suffering in general
The Lady Abbess knew the exact state OF
affairs; she could afford to be kind, for hel
bills had been paid for the term about tc
close; besides, she really had heart some
where beneath that weight of rules and
regulations by which she measured out life
to herself and those under her control.
She was helped to a decision by another
circumstance which arrived opportunelv.
Her Spanish professor, who came out from,
town to give lessons, resident male teachers
not being tolerated on the vestal premises,
had quarreled with her, and would not con-
Time for the next term unless she paid him
a higher salary The Abbess reflected
here was an opening. She might reven &c
herself or the pedagogue, who thought she
would be forced to yield, and she might do
merltorous action; and, erect us she
walked the road to Heaven, q good work
thrown III of her own accord would be a
very proper thing, the Abbess thought and
str'.ightway felt herself a shining light in n
wicked world.
Dolores might teach Spanish; that was
the beginning of the Lady Abbess' thought,
which ended in Il mental pecan over hel
own merits. Dolores was good musician,
too; the first training of unruly youthful
fingers might be entrusted to her. II
would, too be sufficient saving of money
to have made any Lady Abbess complacent,
for those moustached professors had an idea
of their worth. There would be one less
male biped to be watched, also, for when
the professors came, the ugliest spinster in
the staff of teachers-years of wrinkles
beyond the possibility of any weakness
where masculine fascinations were con-
cemod-had to be set as Cerberus, lest
the pupils should acquire familiarity with
questions and answers not set down in any
y! 'no nl"r'elous O!lenuorl productions,
either German or Italian.
Yes. it could be made to answer admira-
bly,, this arrangement which occurred like
an inspiration to the mind of the Abbess:
and even if there had been slight draw
backs in the way, any woman must have
swept them aside for the sake of doing a
sanity deed, and gratifying a bit of femi-
nine spite into the bargain
10 be sure, Dolores softened all her hiss
ing consonants in q way that no Castilian
would have approved, although it certainly
was musical; but nobody would know that,
and even the grabbed professor had once
remarked that herr Spanish was peculiarly
choice aud very elegant.
So. when the daYs that had to alnnaa ha