The morning star and Catholic messenger. [volume] (New Orleans [La.]) 1868-1881, 1874-06-21
Morning Star and Catholic Messenger.
JUVENILE COLUMN
THE PRIZES.
Concluded from last week. !
SUNDAY, JUNE 81, ls74.

term several prizes were always given and
the girls were called upon to show their
proficiency in music, in presence of their
parents and frends. Drawings and paint
ings were also exhibited. The prizes were
for French and English composition, Arith-
metic- and History. Miss Wilson never
examined the compositions herself when
they we're to compete for the prize. but
handed them over to ne'ghboring college
that they might be examined by one of the
Professors Blanche felt confident that
she would excel in French as she was more
familiar with the language than the other
- scholars, having formerly had a French
governess she thought Ella would pro-
badly carry off most of the other prizes.
She feared also that Ella would play more
brilliantly than she, aud that Elias autumn
landscape would be more admired than her
summer scene. AS she thought over this
she resolved that she would not be eciipsed
before her friends by one she considered 30
much her inferior.
The compositions were all written and
laid on Miss Wilson's desk. The children
had gone home very much excited, wonder
ing who would win the prizes, and talking
about what they should wear. Blanche
went part Of the way home, then pretend
ing that she had forgotten a book, hurried
back to the school room. She found it
vacant. she went to Miss Wilson's desk,
the compositions were still there. Hastily
looking for Elias she observed four neatly
and closely written pages, which was at
least page more than her own. She care
fully erased the name and wrote her own
instead, then taking her composition which
Elias name. Having done this she re-
placed the papers as they were before and
left the room saying "Miss Ella shan't
get so far ahead of me as she thinks"
The last day of the term arrived. The
school room was decorated with flowers
tho irls xyera all m Ehita The rnusic opS
singing were excellent. Elias brilliant
execution and Blanche's fine voice were
much admired. Ella received the prize of
arithmetic, Edith Evelyn that of History,
and Blanche those awarded to French and
English composition. which she went for
ward to receive with triumphant look at
Ella.
"Mamma, don't see how it is that l
did not receive the prize for English COM
position" said Ella on their return home.
III always had higher marks than Blanche,
and you know you thought this was the
best composition had ever written"
IL know, dear, but the Professor is a
competent judge; your composition was
very good but he may have found more
merit in Blanches.
Blanche received the congratulations of
her parents and friends on her success,
but she did not feel quite happy. Did her
friends know Of her deceit she felt they
would despise her. She spent the vacations
travelling with her parents. Mrs. Gray son
and her daughter spent part of the summer
on the farm of relative.
In September the girls returned to
school. 1t was the first time that Ella and
Blanche met since the day of the prizes.
Ella bade Blanche a kind welcome which |
the other gracefully returned. The injury
she had done Ella-ever ranked at her
heart, and she wanted to ease consc'encc
by being as cordial to her as possible /; the
two girls appeared to get on better than
formerly as Blanche seemed inclined to be
more friendly. |
1t was in the month of Decem Der /; |
Blanche had not been to school for several
DAYS, and the girls heard she had typhoid
fever. AS she daily grew worse her par
ents became very much alarmed, and sent
to the city for the most eminent physician
fears were entertained that ste would not
recover.
One night after heavy sleep of several
hours she awoke quite conscious she felt
that she was very sick and the fear that
she would die arose in her mind. All the
sins of her life seemed to come before her.
Her feelings of envy, jealousy, vanity, her
want of charity, and the prize she had
stolen from Ella filed her with appreben-
sion. Her conscience had troubled her
ever since she had done the wicked deed.
Honor and praise were all she had ever
striven for. Her religious education had
been sadly neglected; few hurried pray
eTS at 0l&nG were al SHo over ubloicu' que
now began to understand the nature of the
precepts which Miss Wilson had tried to
impress upon her mind. She lay for several
hours thinking of these things and wishing
she had been better girl she prayed
more earnestly than she had ever done
before. Then she resolved to send for
Ella on the following day, confess her
fault and beg her forgiveness: She felt
it would cost her q great effort thus to
humiliate herself before one she had always
considered her inferior, but she felt it
would in measure repair her fault, and
she was anxious to rid her conscience of
it's burden. The next morning when the
nurse was relieved by the anxious mother,
Blanche said: mamma, I feel very i'll,
perhaps 1 am going to die"
ooh, my dear child, do not talk so |
cannot bear it 1 cszsat give Jou up !"
cried Mrs. Woodcourt in tears.
"Mamma, want to see Ella GraysOn,
will you send for her 2" asked Blanche,
after few moments silence, during which
she watched her mothers fearful face.
CELIA Graysou !" exclaimed Mrs Wood.
court in astoDishmeut. "What can yon
~ "a !