The daily Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1873-1877, 1875-07-20

originally, yet as to reading she did that
surprisingly well.
Towards recess she handed Miss Nipps
small manuscript poem in iambie tetfaz
meter, of which she claimed the author
ship, and no doubt her claim was Just al
may be seen from the first stanza which
was as follows: 2
20, God, my father, wise and good
LOOK down and see thy daughters mood,
Her heart, o, Lord. Il breaking fast,
Tell me, o Lord, can this thing last
There were sixteen additional stanzas in
the same vein, depicting Miss Whitcom's
heart ache,
She appeared in the dining-room for the
first time to-day, having sustained her
very important existence on water cruel
since her exploit in the cistern, She now
came In with Angela Bickerstow, who did
her best to keep up Miss Victoria's spirits
under the trying ordeal, but her efforts
were futile, Miss Whitcom persisted in
remaining melancholy. cast her eyes down
till they were nearly closed while the tears,
unchecked, ran down her cheeks and ac-
tually fell upon her plate,
\ The other girls we're restrained from up
roarious hilarity only by the presence of
Miss Bennett, who presided at the table
with an excellent combination of suayity
and dignity.
About fifteen minutes after dinner Miss
Whitcom retired to her own room; the rest
OF the pupils had gone to the gymnastic
hall, and Miss Baswitt had repaired to her
private room to write her letters. when
suddenly the inmates of the institute were
startled by shrieks as appalling as any that
az NC cd traf 81
CINE. A general rush was made for Miss
Wbitcom'S apartment, Miss Baswitt lead
ing the van, and there they beheld her ly-
ing prone on her face upon the floor, utter,
tcring the most unearthly yells Of which
the human lungs are capable
Miss Baswitt Indignantly commanded
the girl to Use and cease her disgracetul
conduct. Old Job, who had rescued her
from the cistern, placed her on her feet,
but she immediately sank down upon the
floor, grooming and crying aloud; while all
the girls, agitated by the scene, had thrown
off portion of the restraint they usually
felt in Miss Baswitt's presence. aud called
out
Good gracious, who's hurting your"
What's the matter, nobody's going to
kill you'll"
Don't everybody have to go to SCHOOL,
cried third,
And amt this the incest school in thu
world?" called Angela Bickerstow. I'm
sure anybody can get along here. Come,
now, do be good, Miss Whitcom"
You don't know mR feelings; no NOR
tai being knows what suffer here" wall
ed forth Miss Whitcom in reply.
Young ladies, now spoke Miss Bas
witt, looking serenely but authoritatively
around, Young ladies'. return to the gym
nasium quietly and orderly and in few
moments she was alone with the doctor
and their patient.
Miss Whitcom," sternly began Miss
Baswit, do you think can permit you to
bring my establishments into disrepute By
your INDIGENOUS department? Are vol
not overwhelmed with grief and mortifca
ton that the pupils of the Minerva insti
tute should have witnessed your lamenta
bic follies? Reflect that such stupid
senseless, unparalleled eccentricities staml
upon you the charaSer OF dishonorablt
idiosyncracy, and throughout life you vii
be sedulously Stunned by all the reputa
BILE Of your fellow kind. Are not thes,
considerations sufficiently appalling to rec
ommend to you less extraordinary an,
more decent department? If you assur
me that in future your conduct will b.
exemplary in its circumspection will re
NIT the penalty which you so richly merit
and merely consign you 70 the ministra
tons of Miss Trotter, your bible teacher.
During this grafton, Miss Whitcom sa
! upon the side of her bed silently weeping
while the doctor stood leaning his elbo1
:, on the mantlepiece, shading his littl
piercing eyes with his hand, while h
= looked from Miss Baswitt to Miss Whit
:. com.
! Il desire you to reply, Miss" continue
= Miss Baswitt after slight pause II dc
: sire to hear from you some expression {
contrition,"
I Il don't know" was the luminous +,
y Spouse, in muffled monotone.
! DO you not know whether you al
y ashamed of your most rep! ehensible col
:. duct?"
y Il want to go away" walled Miss Viii
: com in response.
:: At this juncture Miss Trotter, whol
- Miss Baswitt had summoned, entered II
is Continued on third page.l