Daily globe. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn.) 1878-1884, 1879-10-19
IN A MIRROR.

girls clamored, "a real story-one about
school-days."
"School-days?' said Cousin Esther
yielding at once, as she always doe!
when we visit her. "Well, sit down, anc
I'll tell you one I've been thinking {
deal about of late.''
We settled ourselves comfortably ani
Cousin Esther went on:
"You have heard me say that when ]
was about seventeen went for year tt
Miss Lennox's school, at Burtnet.
taught some Of the younger scholars anc
had good instruction myself, and my hes,
friend was Alice Arthur.
''The day I arrived Miss Lennox asked
me to be kind to Alice; she was studying
to be teacher, and her life was peculi:
arly trying; her widowed mother lived
in Boston, and Alice had been compelled
to accept a home with very disagreeable
relative IN Burtnet while she attended
school.
81 loved Alice at once; her manner
was so sweet and cordial, and she seemed
such a real lady. Though only fifteen,
she was taller than I, and thong int I new
er saw anything prettier than her wavy
hair and blue eyes.
''She was poorly dressed, but her man
ner was so charming tnat mo one ever
thought of her dress.
"Our friendship prospered, with but
one drawback. A girl named Louisa By.
we'll insisted upon following US about
like shadow; we never sat down for a
quiet talk but we were certain to be in
terrupted by Louisa.
'She was a thin, awkward girl, inor-
dinately vain, fond OF dress, but good
hearted in a sort of way; yet from the mo-
ment l appeared to be Alice's friend she
seemed foolishly jealous.
GAIL the girls admitted Alice Arthur
to be their superior; she had a certain
high courage combined with gentleness
which made her a sort of leader among
us, and it was said no one had ever known
her to prevaricate OF even exaggerate in
the smallest degree. OF her home-life
she rarely spoke, yet knew what it was.
zone day friend of papa's, in Burtnet,
a Mrs. Rogers, invited several of US to 90
down to her pretty house and see some
OF her daughters wedding presents and
inery.
Mrs. Rogers was always particularly
kind to Alice, who was evidently a great
favorite with her. l shall never forget
that day. could not go, on account OF
teaching, but saw the party set off, ear
ly in the afternoon, in high spirits; Louisa
Bywell, Lydia Samson and Matte Jones
who were boarders, and Alice, who was
to go from the Rogers directly home.
ut was about SIX o'clock when they
returned, and looking out Of the school
room window, knew at once that some
thing unusual had happened. They were
talking eagerly and excitedly; Alice's
name fell upon my ear, and believing
some accident had occurred, ran out t.
meet them. "What is the matter will
Alice?' I cried, anxiously.
Louisa tace flushed. ALWAYS Alice.
she said resentfully; but Matte Jones in
terrupted with
"Why Alice Arthur is thief! Sht
stole Miss Sallie Rogers cross and chain
81 started back as if I had been struck
"Hush, Mattel" 1 exclaimed; how cal
you say such a thing?"
"But it IS true, the girl persisted. III
tell you how it was: Miss Sallie showed
us her box of trinkets, and there was ;
filigree gold cross and chain among them
Well, when we came to leave, Alice pull
ed her handkerchief out OF her pocket
the inside pocket of her jacket-and thu
cross fell out
"And yet she Declares said Louisa
she never put it there
"Girls! girls!' I exclaimed, do sto1
talking so loudly; go in to Mics Lennox
do; there is some mistake here
No. persisted Lonisa, for Miss Sallit
missed the cross almost directly, and W.
hunted everywhere, and then it dropped
out OF her pocket, and Louisa nodded he1
lead sagely. I could hardly wait to gel
down to Alice's. Mrs. Lee, her consin
opened the door for me with very lofty
air.
"'The wretched girl IS up stairs, Miss
Lang she said; you can see her, Of
course
II stopped on the stairs. Mrs. Lee !
l exclaimed, you are not cruel enough tc
believe this of your cousing'
"Mrs. Lee only tossed her head, and
flew up to my poor Alice. She was pac
ing the floor of her little attic room with
white face, and a scared, strange ex
preston.
."'Oh, Esther she exclaimed, this i:
horrible, horribler And then she excit
edly told me the story.
ut was the same Matte had related
but Alice renewed the assurance that she
could not understand how the cross came
to be IN her pocket.
"Befere the next night twenty version!
OF the story were circulating in Burtnet
and Go believe Mrs. Lee encouraged
them: She had always resented her hus
bands invitation to Alice, and believed
this to be a good excuse for sending he
home.
"Mrs. Rogers tried tc stem the tide O
public opinion as best she could, but sh,
could not deny facts, and in three day
Alice had hidden us a farewell which
seemed to me to be perfectly tragic, TO
she went away from Burtnet in this clou(
of disgrace.
ut was long time ago, yet I remem
Der as IT it were yesterday all the effect
OF that fortnight; the void Alice's alb
| sence caused; our dizziness without he
CHEEKY voice and gay laugh; Miss Len
ncx's nervous irritability the girls per
petual reference to the subject, and con
lectures, which Miss Lennox fnall,
s'!enced by saying in the school-room sh'
wished it understood that she considered
Alice Arthur perfectly blameless; tina