Nashville union and American. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1868-1875, 1873-08-10

with me, The inhaTmony existing between
my stepmother and myself. Uncle John
has asked me to live with him in Egerton
when / leave here; bat we must work
Madge, and be selfsustaining. Father
will be glad TO have me away from home,
and uncle viii surely back US ia an effort
to start q first-class school,"
"But, Carrie, there may be schools al
ready there; We cannot afford to make q
mistake"
"No, Madge, there is but one or two in
the place, and neither are progressive. Sc
we viii have our school in EgertoD, and
that very soop." III
The elder girl looked steadily inlo the
fire long while. She was evidently re-
Elective nature, hearing all that was sad to
her, and then weighing well its import. The
younger planned and dared; the other con-
sidered matters, and condemned or ap-
proved as her judgment prompted. Both
had known sorrow, hence both were Injured
to suffering, and as for sentiment, or 'they
say" or people, opinion, good or bad, they
cared no more than to igRore all they heard
that was not agreeable. But they loved
each other, and had all these years of close
companionshp, and the determination to
i've tOHpbuC4 baA BCCA CABlCocCd DJ buCu
continually. 1t was taking shape now.
"About the diplomas, Carrie, have
thought good deal oflate. We neitherof US
care for the huzzas ofthe commencement.
We have nothing to gain by staying the last
term, for, as you know, it is only q season
of preparation for the close. Suppose we
ask Prof. Ayres for our recommend, and
leave here at the end of five mOnths?"
"Exactly, Madge, this was my idea, but l
was so afraid you would Object. If this
were chartered school and the diplomas
had any weight, would gladly stay to win
one. Bnt it is mere school girl affair all
the way through, and by leaving we save
the time, and get in order for the coming
year ourselves"
Long into the night they talked; the
sweet low voice of Margaret mingling with
the strong, determined tones of the less dis
ciplined Carrie. And when the Christmas
guns were heard in the distance, and they
rose to retire, every minute detail of the
work to be performed On the morrow, and
on the coming morroWs, was arranged and
plainly understood by each.
Before the mid-winter term commenced
they left school. Not armed, as they had
hoped to have been, with the recognition of
their Principal, for he was too indignant to
calmly discuss the tight of the matter
there was no wrong 10 it-but with the
good wishes of the girls, who, if they could
not use the same independence, and de-
velope the same force of character them
selves, nevertheless admired the pluck of
their classmates, and parted with them with
genuine reluctance.
Madge and Carrie, with painful effort,
tore themselves away from place in which
both had spent the majority of their girlish
years. But they were inspired to act. They
had mission, and that mission was to
make the most of their own lives, and thus
help others to do the same. They were
women in all that suffering makes of the
sex, md they were prepared, though in
different degrees perhaps, for the life before
them.
UncoDgenial surroundings had led the
youngest of the two (snd there was less
difference in their years than in their dispo-
sitions,) 10 prepare for independence rather
than become a household slave; to enter into
the arena OF life and combat for its privil-
eyes, rather than voluntarily submit to re-
straint and suppression.
The other acted more upon a sense of
destiny. She bad no choice but to work,
and she expected to work hard sll her life.
Hence taun!s and jeers were alike to her.
and she felt the force of nothing so much
as she did the assurance that her time had
not been as proftably expended as i; would
have been had she been in a school Of a
higher grade. To such woman, then,
averted faces ard frowns meant simply
nothing, for they affected her purposes not
at all.
In the evening, after long day of travel,
the weary women reached Egerton depot,
and found Uncle John waiting for them.
"Why didn't you stay to graduate, young
ladies?" he said TO them the moment the
greetings were over, and they were on their
way to his house.
'sOh, we must be ready for the fall sea-
son, Uncle, and we concluded not to lose
year of work merely for the qualification Of
wearing white muslin dress, and reading
a worthless production, for the glorification
of Prof. Ayres."
."We want to be putting our house in Or
der for pupils, Mr.. Hill, lsughingly contin-
ued Madge Arlington.
"Umph, you are hopeful TO be sure.
D;d'nt write that there wasn't ten girls in
a radius of ten m.le,W
"Wel, there are boys, perhaps, and we
intend to take both sexes, from six TO thirty
years of age"
"Heavens! and shock all Egerton with
your notions? You'll both fail, girls,
sure.
''Never you mind your prophecy, Uncle,
you know you don't believe any such thing.
Did you get the Summers house for us?"
mo, they asked too much for it; but
secured the Love place, Iadjoiuing mine. |
thought it would be convenient for you to
give me few boar6ers when your school
becomes overcroWGed. The Loves have
moved away, and you can lease the prop
erty for five years; it is furnished, SO all
you have to do is TO clean it up"
"And we will. 1t shall be the beginning
of life of trial perhaps, but of satisfaction,
too; of disaster possibly at first, but sue
cess in the end" Said the earnest Madge,
as they left the carriage and cended the
steps of Carries childhood home. Mrs.
Fairchild, the uncle's aged house-keeper,
stood at the door to receive them, and both
the girls felt the welcome that was as gen.
erously extended as it was gratefully recetv-
ed.
Months passed, and Carrie and Madge
worked on regardless of the talk they ex
cited. or of the statements that were made