The weekly register. [volume] (Point Pleasant, Va. [W. Va.]) 1862-1909, 1882-07-26

help yourself" said Gertrude, laugh
ing, as she opened her own gate.
"You may not be a star Of the first
magnitude, but You certainly are q
very astonishing meteor"
She went in, finding the proofs Of
her class photographs on the ball
table. "Not very pretty girl eth.
err" said Gertrude to herself as she
scanned them critically. "Dear mel
l wonder how / shall label myself, if
Pm neither bright nor pretty
"Why-" with a sudden inspiration
which struck her first as ludicrous-
II suppose when people fail in those
two directions they usually set about
being good" The idea wasn't a ri
diculous one, after all. She sat down
on the stairs with the proofs in her
hand, and began a speech addressed
to herself, which ran somewhat in
this wise:
Gertrude Bell, I'm ashamed of
you. It's Of no use for you to pretend
you don't care about graduation hon
+ors; you do, and you're a jealous, sell
fish, little thing to half wish Ella Pr
per hadn't had more chance than
you. And when you find you can't
be the centre Of attention commence,
ment day, you set about thinking of
your good looks and wishing they
were better. As il the reason for
study wasn't learning something and
not making spread. Now, if l
have any influence left over you,
young, woman at the bar, you'll be
made to do yourduty these last weeks
Of school, whether it counts on your
side or not"
Gertude's resolutions were not
weak-backed, broken kneed ones,
ready to collapse at tho slightest OPP
position. She had learned lesson
worth u dozen perfect school reports,
that ones duty is to be done wheth-
er, as she said, it counts on ones own
side or not. Her duty was, she told
herself, to study for the sake of the
truth to be learned, not with refer
ence to examinations. People never
become perfect all a. once, except
perhaps in some very stupidly-writ-
ten books, and so, you won't be sur
prised to know that Gertrude heard
Miss Gould announce Miss Piper as
the valedictorian with little sigh of
regret. She couldn't help thinking
how proud she herself would have
been to go home that noon and tell
the assembled family at the dinner
table that Miss Gertrude Belle had
the honor. Out" she said, stoutly,
81 don't want what isn't mine, and
an honor that isn't gained according
TO the rules Of the school. won't be
u sneak" This was the first impor-
tant lesson not set down in the school
course that she learned that year.
The second happened in this way.
One night she came home from
school TO finish her graduation essay.
She felt exactly like writing. There
were certain things she had meant to
say and had never quite known how;
tonight she was sure of being able
to do it.
Gertrude, come here, please" call
ed her mother. sake has sent mo a
note asking if Tom may go to the Ii.
brary for him this afternoon and get
u history of England. Now, you will
close at five, and Jack can't possibly
get here himself. | know he wants
the book and has gone to the base
ball. match. What shall we do?"
Mrs, Belle had q habit of talking
rather querously in a quiet process
ion of clauses. They made Gertrude
impatient tonight.
"Mother don't ask me to go. Il
can't" she said.
Very we'll. l only thought Jack
might need the book, especially
said her mother, taking up her work
again.
Gertrude went into the sitting
room and rather (orcibly moved away
the books and papers from the table
to make room for her writing. After
all, wasn't she little selfish! Cous.
in Jack was teaching country
school five miles out of town; he must
have wanted the history for his work
the next day, or he could gel il him.