Bedford inquirer. [volume] (Bedford, Pa.) 1857-1884, 1869-08-27
Sai9tellaueons.
THE NEW SCHOLAR.

THE NEW SCHOLAR.
What piece of vulgarity she is = sale
Mary Williamson, with an expression of ex
treme disgust, as she glanced at the new
pupil A calico dress on, and not ever
French-nothing but an American print
And made in such dowdy style, too
And l believe that is cotton net on her
hair, said Julia Moore.
Yes, and that is not the worst of it.
Her mother is a seamstress, and lives over
a store added Helen Price. L think it a
shame for Miss Thomas to admit such girls
to her school. My mother sent me here be-
cause she heard it was a very select school.
l shouldn' wonder if she should take me
away Immediately.
Well, one thing is certain, ! shall never
take any notice Of the low creature, said
Mary.
Nor l, you may be sure l shall feel
contaminated by her presence, said Julia.
1 think poor people ought to go to free
schools.
At this moment the bell rang, and the
girls went to their places. Julia, having to
pass the desk of the new pupil, whose name
was Annie Duncan, haughtily turned her
head and drew her silk skirt around her,
that it might not touch the American
Print
Annie naturally felt little embarrassed
among 50 many strangers, and had not left
her seat during recess. She had been look
ing around, however, and had observed the
girls whispering. BY their frequent gIances
toward herself she knew she was the object
of their remarks; and the expression of
their faces told her that she had not made
an agreeable impression upon them. She
noticed their fine dresses and stylish appear
auee, and blush covered her face for a
moment as she glanced at her own plain
attire and contrasted it with theirs.
oh why does mother insist upon my
coming to this schools? she asked herself
These girls viii despise me for my poverty
cannot endure their scorn. Why arc we
so poor and they so rich? !? Tears came to
her eyes; but she quickly brushed them
away as she remembered the lessons of in
dependence and true dignity that her
mother had endeavored to instill into the
minds of her children. I'm ashamed of
myself for indulging such thoughts for a
moment, she said mentally. : would not
have anybody know they ever entered my
mind [ really did not know that could
be so foolish. | know that dress does not
make lady; and that, even if we are poor
we can be refined, good and intelligent
and | mean to be all. | knew before [
came that | should have this trial, and I
determined to bear it bravely; and / agiH
So Annie Duncan, AL you have to do, in
future, is to attend to your lessons, improve
every advantage you possibly can obtain
and prepare for the work you have marked
out for yourself You are not here to make
the acquaintance of or to please those young
ladies. 1t matters not what their opinion
of you is, if you do nothing to merit their
scorn; so now, once for all, goodbye to such
folly
Annie had formed plan which, as she
did not tell, we will! But, in order that
her motives for making it may be under
stood, it viii be necessary to know some.
thing of the past and present circumstances
of the family.
Her mother was the daughter of a
merchant, one of the richest men in New
York at the time of hermarriage. She had
made what her father and her friends
generally, called brilliant match. Mr.
Duncan was wealthy, talented and very
much in love with her She loved him for
what she supposed him to be. For some
years all went prosperously with them but
the husbands dissipated habits, Of which
the wife knew nothing before marriage,
gradually increased. 1t is not necessary to
follow him closely in his career. 1t is
enough fer our purpose to know that, when
Annie was nearly ready to graduate, her
father was a ruined man; broken in health,
and bankrupt in business The fortune left
Mrs. d, by her father had gone with that of
her husband. Suddenly, at last, Mrs.
Duncan found herself a widow, with four
children to support, without money or
friends to aid her Those whom she had
regarded as friends in her prosperous days
had not followed her in her misfortunes
Until her fathers death, Annie had been
sent to the best schools, and bad faithfully
improved every opportunity, in order to
realize her strong desire to be thoroughly
educated woman, She had talent, energy
and industry, and the tanderest love for her
mother and little brothers and sisters, to
stimulate her to the necessary labor Her
plan was to qualify herself for teaching,
that she might support her mother and
educate the younger ones
After paving the funeral exnenses and