New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1883-07-15
III.-CoNTrNUED.

II.-CoNTrNUED.
r,a;re,s altered raimept produced an immense
..n.ation among her classmates. Even severai Oh
sha teachers showed signs OF surprise. Inc new
'n0 90 her attire brought out her unques-
p'A'h .ouv as raudier and i'll blended vestments
W. hafors married and obscured 1t. The back
nsu ss,act Of her chestnut tresses. which were
.,,, .,rsaked here and there with sunny threads,
~" -, ha doubted as charming even by the most
o1 ''.',a,csd cayiller. Her brow and temples were
- II their full purity of moulding, and the eyes
s.s..th them gained poetic tenderness from TINS
- exnosure. She was not yet girl clothed at
q, sttar the dainty manner of the girls about her,
~ - ..hsewas ut least no longer spoiled and ham,
ss..1 NV uubecoming and vulgar garments. Every
"a felt this promptly, and Claire herself soon
ss.csnized by an intuition which always STOOD
rs.ssI N her singularly quick perceptions, that
syerybody had felt it.
This was to be q memorable day with her. IL
nav ssem trivial TO employ so august term when
sas,;ug with one yet on the threshold OF our truly
-, suisodes. but, after ALL there is reality
.h,ut the cbagrns and victories OF childhood
-h;eh IL none the less potent while both exist
t.o.use both must shortly drop into shadow before
hs,,bsr hangs and warmer transports. Claire
"a resolved to be kind OF minia-
.,ra heroine if occasion should ask
ssr "a play that part and she had conviction.
A..Ad ON very fair grounds of reasoning that some
mcb demand might be made OF her before the
..hoo,-exercises for that day should reach their
end.
Nos vas she wrong The recitations began. and
xsra continued under various teachers until the
Avelys o'clock recess Clare had suffered hitherto
srom the embarrassments of her surroundings as
regarded any frank assertion of what she knew and
inst how she knew il. But to-day she had con-
,ouered embarrassment; she was on her mettle. as
IN. phrase goes 1t was tho main aim of her medi-
tatsd.psn to let herself be browbeaten in no par
ticular. and the excitement born of this resolve
Had nut her best faculties into nimble readiness
Her understarbpo was of the quality beloved by
instructors II jsaa prehenslle trait; 1t seized
ms and chung e them. The alarm of Mrs. Car
- stAel Iest her pnpil should unmask her elegant
"a iencies had been no unfounded one. This ladys
titienaf C,aire Lsi been but series OF snsecsr
hopA zach Of whics the girl had rapidly tracked
to II lair Of ,vsuotsr truth. Mrs. Carmichael had
pointed haFfs quito often, 1t must be owned,
vt<k ~ scmcwfat faltering fnger-and she had
10 whittier II led at pace no less swift than
..,. This = As especially true of the French Ian
.,,c. for which her aptitude was phenomenal, and
-h;eI uuder new conditions of instruction, abe
s,or almost mastered. AS matter of mere fact,
.hs had been placed at present. among her interiors
a. tnowledce. She was much more advanced than
s,s class Of superb young misses who had wounded
H., nth their callow disdan. And to-day she made
mi. ts,l;nglv evident. Her answers came placid,
s4lf.assured uubestating She sat, all through the
morning with hands folded together in her lap and
nth LOOT. that paid no seeming heed TO any OF her
associates Some of them were extremely stupid.
Thsv gave staruuerug responses or ratified on the
xrour thing with fatal glibness or preserved that
stol;d silence which is tho most naked can
dor Of ignorance. The freckled girl, who ate ba-
mana. emit an especially dull figure. Through some
novel freak of parental indulgence she had been
.,,,;t,ad To wear this morning ring OF clustered
sappbirss and diamonds, very beautiful ana
prseious. and this she turned and returned, while
puskeripg her forehead, whenever question
vss mt TO her, as though the fair
handle might prove talislnanic and show her some
rival road out of earning's tangled mazes. No one
apuesred to think Der replies patcu!srly blnnder-
ing or fatuous Her ring, and hr last new farisian
vovp and the lux urious prospect OF her approach
ins luncb. seemed TO invest even her weak wit with
prestiee. Claire felt 1t to be somehow in the air
that tins ma,den's mental povety should receive
nothing except respectful sympaty from her fellows.
rortuns does not shower every kown gift on one
fsvorite: that seemed 10 be tsitly understood.
when she fioundered in Frenc verb, or came TO
dir erief in compound fractioni the iwbeclity
proyoked no laughter; it bore sFt Of gilded par
donabIeuess. like the peccadillo Of princess
when recess came, Clare had dtinguished her.
sslf. Everybody WAS convinced TIT her powers
Of mind were much above the pmmoD. Two
of the teachers, both ladies Of gent bearing and
kindly disposition. came to her sid and cheered
her with a few words Of complimenty encourage
meut. The grand Mrs. Arslarius did
not come; she was elsewire, in hei
elegant little reception-Ioom she hadot yet heard
slhsr new pupils handsome exploit But If she
had already heard OF them, she wotf have paid
Clsre no congratulations. Good sckarship, she
would have argued with splendid egosm, was In
this case form Of gratitude to whieshe was Of
course amply entitled, since she bad allvsd Twin
log the honor Of seeing her autognh ON bii
daughters future receipted bills.
During the first portion Of the recess klr, Clair
ate her modest lunch, choking 1t down nth stroni
reluctance But ono teacher now remaih in th,
largo classroom, and she was closely eupled II
the examination Of some written exers.s. Tb,
rirls were gathered here and there, amoRthc file
Of desks, in whispering groups They w all dis
eussing Claire; she herself knew IL; an insct toll
her 90. She was very much excited but oIyartil,
quite calm. The girls no longer staredt her
not single gggle now broke tbs AIR; ky ha,
been impressed, startled. and perhaps lid awe,
o. well; their pariah had turned nat
sort OF notabilty; she Lad clM her
elf In sudden armor Of cool kauc
against impudcnce. They might have reeazki he
lstely-revealed endowments as quecrnchssIlat
sFsl with the eccentric quality of her clothip Blu
the pink robe, the brttle-looking curls, 4 he
Severed hat, bad vanished and left them no Anc
Tor such associative ridicule There had kn
Transformation, abrupt and battling. ClaiA wa
eot going to he their butt Of this there " n
doubt she must either be accepted as an eos q
evoidsd ~ an inferior; she could no longer Nj
Qepostuon Of target for their covert raillerl
Ths freckied girl, of the sumptuous midday u
A. H. -