Vermont watchman and State journal. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1836-1883, 1871-09-13
Vol. 66.-33S7. No. ~.

on lifting them she perceived il, her look
grew stern and grave once more
Go to bed, Nellie, she said, in cold, quiet
tones it is as you say. | shall wish you
your cousin and all the other girls TO be in
the large school.room not later than eight
O'Clock tomorrow morning. must have this
matter looked into before the examination be.
gins. In the meantime | will consider how
best to punish the offender am afraid for
such an act | cannot do less than expel her
from the school, and yet should be sorry
Gwen has always been most obedieDt, good
pupil. This is the first time have ever
found her tripping but what a trip 2" and
the good lady sighed.
/ Nellie began to feel little sorry and
ashamed Of herself, and almost felt inclined
to confess. But oh no she could not. If
Mrs Straytelace was so angry with her ia.
yorite Gwen, how much more angry would
she be with her who had acted thus abomin.
ably toward her own cousin No, she dared
never tell the truth, aud no doubt il would
all come right. Mrs. Straytelace would not
expel Gwen, only punish her very severely,
aud by-and-by the whole matter would be for.
cotton.
Next morning the girls were all assembled
in the schoo-room half an hour before tho
usual time, as Mrs StrayteIace had ordered.
They could none of them understand WHY ex.
cept Nellie, who kept her own counsel. She
persuaded herself it was wiser to do so-she
did not confess to herself that it was because
she was afraid to speak
The girls were all seated round the long
table punctually at eight, and few minutes
after Mrs. Strayteace entered She looked
sad. and as if she had been crying, Nellie
thought and her voice was unusually hard
and cold. After she had wished them all
" Good morning" she called out
"Nellie Griifiths !"
Nellie's heart sank into her shoes she new
er expected she would be called on to speak,
and that Gwen would know who had Ii.
beled her. Oh dear, oh dear, what would
Gwen think? that she had never done it
Her wickedness was going to find her out,
after all. What should she do? Put a
good face on the matter whispered the little
girls evil monitor So assuming calm she
did not feel, she answered
Here"
BE so good as to repeat statement you
made to me last night"
I e'NiAiN NAA ~ III u lew MOiuHf rdJluH uOW
she had sat next to Gwen when Fraulein
Strumf gave them their German translation,
how she had fancied to see her cousin peep
constantly under the table, and how, at last,
when the lesson was over she had observed
Gwen stealthily pop the book into her desk.
Is this true2' asked Mrs Straytelace,
turning to the astonished Gwen
a." | am sorry" began Gwen.
Not an unnecessary word interrupted
Mrs. Straytelace sternly, &" want a simple
answer. Is this true what you have heard
your cousin say? Yes or no 2"
No." said Gwen decidedly
! A little sound like a cheer was heard among
the girls.
Silence, young ladies', said Mrs. Strayte-
lace. " should sympathize with you in
your pleasure at hearing a school-fellow vim
dcate herself so firmly and seemingly hon.
estly from an abominable charge, even were
not unfortunately in the position to tell you
that the charge is true and the vindication
false. | myself found the crib in Gwen Ow-
ems desk"
impossible" a few of the elder girls ven.
tured to calculate.
" should have said so too not twenty-four
hours ago. said Mrs. Straytelace, her stern
tone relaxing somewhat into grieved pity. 81
regret that | cannot say so still, and that
have been forced to assemble you all here this
morning that you may see the culprit un.
masked and her guilt proved See, she said,
walking to Ovens place and opening the
desk, here Is the book"
Another murmur ran among the girls; it
was still somewhat dissentient They could
not would not, believe this Of their favorite.
Some few glanced suspiciously towards Mel.
lie, who felt herself covering under their
glance. They soon looked away again; they
could not entertain the thought that she would
tell such a talsehood, and so vilely SANDER
her cousin
There was a long pause after this in the
room an awful silence Nellie felt it. No
one spoke no one uttered a sound each
7 persons eyes first sought, and then glanced
S away from the others Could it be that a
tear was actually creeping down Mrs. Strayte.
lace's check Mrs. Straytelace, who was al
ways seen so calm and composed, and had
never been known to weep2
As for Gwen, she sat rigidly still, as when
she had first been accused she neither seem.
ed to see nor hear, but her face was ashy
1 pale, and her hands were tightly clenched.
e Nellie could not look towards her, II would
= have made her feel yet more wicked than she
already felt
At last Mrs. Straytelace spoke it was q
+ relief to them all to have that terrible pause
y at an end.
E" Young ladies' she said, " since FIRST |
have kept an establishment for the purpose
+ Of a1u..ttou / bau hut tupt, had on
Il painful duty to perform as to-day never,
r in fact, for in each Of the former cases the
e offence was not so totally cut Of keeping with
d the character Of the girl as it is here. Ii
y both those former instances | judged it right
II that the pupil who had so grieyously offend
l. ed should forthwith leave the school.
Q. know | ought to do the same in this instance
D. but am too weak have held too high an
II opinion-of the present culprt in fact young
II ladies', | shall put it to the vote. You shall
e decide whether Gwen Owen shall be expelled
L from this place or severely punished and an
S other chance allowed her. l call on you al
F. to rise who are in favor of the milder alter
1t native"
,r Not one girl remained sitting. Nellie ros'
* too, though she was sorely perplexed as t.
e what she ought to do
e A CLEAN of satisfaction flew over Mrs
s. Straytelace's rigid features.
= IL am very glad" she stammered-"
'e am much obliged to you, young ladies. Yor
can leave the room now all except Gwer
lie Owen, whom | desire to remain"
10 What passed between the governess ant
Ie pupil Nellie never knew but when Gwer
IN came out from Mrs. Straytelace's presence