Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1874-07-09

but father died five years ago, and I've
taken care of myself ever since"
And you are only fifteen now?"
"Yes, ma'am."
"How did you ever get the money to
pay for years board and tuition here?"
Il earned it all, madam, every cent of
it. As soon as / was big enough / went
into factory, and earned two dollars
week at first, and, finally, three and a
half, and | worked for my board nights
and mornings"
Poor child"
oh no, ma'am. was glad to do it."
But how did you keep along so well
with your studies?n
Il used to fix book open on the loom,
where l could catch sentence now and
then, and the overseer did not object. be-
cause l always did my work well You
| see, madam, want to be teacher some
| time, and l knew I'd have better chance
to learn here than anywhere else, so I
Just determined to do It,"
What are your plans for the long va
cation?"
must go back to the factory and
earn enough to get some warmer clothes
for the winter. You see, madam, why I
cannot afford to dress better"
Madam'S heart was full She bent over
the white, thin little face and kissed it
| reverently.
That evening when the girls gathered
in the chapel for worship, she told Fan
MES story. There was not dry eye in
the room. The moment Madam finished,
Belle Burnett sprang up, with the tears
pouring down her cheek.
90 Madam! We have been dacfiIlly
cruel and wicked to that poor girl. We
have made fun of her from the first, and
she would never have been sick as she
was II we had not tormented her almost
TO death. L was the most to blame; it
was l that led on the rest, and we have
suffered terribly all these weeks, fearing
she might die. You may expel me, or
punish me any way you please, for de-
serve it, and l shall go down on my knees
to beg her pardon as soon as you will let
me see her"
MY child, am shocked to hear thisi
[ can scarcely believe that any of my
pupils would ill-treat a companion be-
cause she was so unfortunate as to be
plain and poor. But you have made
noble confession and | forgive you as
freely as l believe she will when she
knows how truly you have repented of
your unkindness" By degrees, as she
was able to bear it, one after another
went to Fannie and begged her forgive
ness, which was freely granted. She
said: 81 don't wonder you made fun of
me. I knew | was poorly dressed and
awfully homely. | would have pulled
every hair out of my head years ago,
only 1 knew it would grow in again as
red as ever. But, Oh! if could have
felt that l had just one friend among you
| could have borne it; but, somehow, it
hno rt how C,H TIM
against me-"
After this she gained rapidly, and one
fine morning the doctor said she might
| join the girls in the drawing-room for an
hour before tea. There had been q vast
deal of whispering and hurrying to and
fro of late among the girls, of which
Fannie had been totally unconscious in
the quiet seclusion of her room.
At the appointed time Madam herself
came to assist her, and, leaning upon her
i strong arm, the young girl walked feebly
through the long hall and down the
stairs.
MY dear, the girls have planned
little surprise for you, to make the hour
as pleasant as possible"
She opened the door, seated Fannie in
an easy chair, and the girls came gliding
in, with smiling faces, singing beautiful
song of welcome. At its close, Belle
Burnett approached and placed beauti
full wreath of flowers upon her head, say
ing: Dear Fannie, we crown you our
queen to-day, knowing well how far above
us all you are in HIS sight who looketh
upon the heart, instead of the outward
appearance. You have t-ught US les
son we shall never forget, and we beg
you to accept token of sincere love and
| of nf in,
the past, which you will find in your
room on your return"
Fannie's eyes were full of tears, and
she tried to say few words in reply, but
Madam spoke for her, and, after another
song, they followed their newly-crowned
queen to the dining-room, where a most
tempting feast was laid, in honor of the
occasion. Fannie was quietly, tearfully
happy through it all, yet so wearied with
the unusual excitement that Madam
said she must not see the girls "Peace
Offering" that night. The first thing
she saw the next morning was
fine large trunk, and lying
upon it a card, For Miss Fan
ME Comstock, from her teachers and
schoolmates" Hastily opening it she
saw it was packed full of neatly-folded
garments, but she had no time to exam
inc its contents until after breakfast,
when they left her alone with her won
derful gift There were pretty dresses
and sacques, fine new hat and parasol,
gloves and ribbons, cuffs and collars, IN
dergarments in abundance, indeed every
thing which a young schoolgirl could
possibly need. Every one of Madam's
| two hundred and ten pupils had contrib
uted from her choicest and best to fur
nish complete outfit for their less
favored mate. At the very bottom was
well-illed writing-desk an album con-
tanning all their pictures, and pretty
purse containing five dollars, and the
| following note from Madam:
| NY DEAR CHILD-This shall be receipt in fall
| for all expenses during whatever time you M y
| choose to remain in the seminary, which pre-
| sent to you as sincere token of my love and re-
| spect. JEANETTE GAIN.
They found her at dinner-time on the
floor, surrounded by her new treasures,
crying like baby, but it did her good.
She was soon able to resume her studies,
and was ever after treated with kindness
and consideration, even though all her
hair came out and left her head as bare
as her face, so she had to wear queer
cap-like wig for many weeks. When the
long vacation arrived Belle carried her
off to her beautiful home on the Hudson,
where, for the first time in her life, she
was surrounded with beauty and luxury
on every side, and was treated as a loved
and honOred guest. 1t was not long be-
I eo~o tho ho+af,11 I1-iur Tryac net