The weekly register. [volume] (Point Pleasant, Va. [W. Va.]) 1862-1909, 1882-07-26
NOT INTmECURRIoULUM.

Gertrude; her senior year, too, when
she had expected, and not without
reason, 10 be SO conscious Of her i'm
portance as oneof the next graduates
that she would have notime for triv-
ial worries. The seniors always had
extra privileges though that one last
year of the Phipson Seminary, per-
haps, was sort Of compensation for
the misfortune Of leaving it so soon.
They were allowed TO use their own
judgment about whispering, could at
any time study in parties Of two or
three in the recitation-rooms, and
were occasionally allowed to hold up
roarious class meetings in the base.
ment play.rooms during school hours.
To be sure, there was no specified
agreement when Miss Gould gave
them permission to settle important
class business in that way that the
proceedings Of the meeting should be
occasionally hilarious, and | am in
clined to think she would have de-
clined subscribing herself TO such an
article; but the basement was a re-
tired spot, and Bell Ames had a fatal
ly.unerring aim in all her jokes, and
80, under the circumstances, what
girls could resist the temptation to
innocent fun?
While we are on the subject of
class meetings, | am afraid l must
leave the main current Of our story
to relate one of Nell Ane's exploits;
not one to be approved or initiated
either, young people! One day in
the middle Of the winter term, she
brought large basket of delectable
corn'balls to school, leaving them in
the dressing-room. But, settled at
her desk, her mind would rove from
the life Of Goldsmith TO these care.
fully made corn, balls which had cost
her half an evenings work. Per.
haps the latter fact accounted for her
certainty that, for all she knew about
it, Goldsmith's poetry might never
have been written. An idea flashed
Into her mind, With Nell, TO re-
solve was to do, and in another sec
ond she had reached Miss Gould's
desk, and asked if the class might
have a business meeting in the base
ment. Miss Gould deliberated.-
Yes" finally, "if they would go out
quietly" Nell demurely signalled
the girls, went in advance to take
her basket from the dressing-room,
and led tho way TO the feast. An in
excusable act, young ladies! see that
none Of you do the same.
To return to Gertrude, whom we
left discouraged. She had not at the
end of the year us high a record of
scholarship as she had promised her.
self. | am sorry to say that the Phip-
son Seminary is one of those whiuh
have monthly reports and a record of
scholarship by which parts are as
signed on graduation day. Gertrude
had hoped for the valedictory, not
quite unsclishly, but because the
honor would delight the people
whom she most wished to please.
But at the beginning Of the winter
term her mother fell ill of rheumatic
fever, and Gertrude undertook a
dozen unaccustomed home duties in
addition to her school work. Some
times, after night watchingand anx.
ious oversight Of the family break
fast, she went to school quite unpre-
pared for recitation, and too sleepy to
seem anything but stupid. Again
and again it happened that some
evening when she had promised her
self several solid hours study, she
nodded drowsily over her Latin trans
lation, and heavy with sleep, went to
bed crying YEARLY over u lost oppor-
tunity. You must not think she
was quite selfish and in the habit of
complaining at being Of use at home
instead Of shining in her class. Not
at all. She was just as glad and
grateful as possible for the chance of
doing something for her mother, but
she could hardly help wondering
why the illness couldn't have come
at another time. But after the
Christmas vacation, times began to
look up at home. Her mother grew
better, and Aunt Sue came from
Grafton, to act as kind of q visit
ing housekeeper and nurse. Ger