Saint Mary's beacon. [volume] (Leonard Town, Md.) 1867-1983, 1885-04-02

4
neville's means could not supply.
Inez, too, craved many things which
had to be refused. And Edith-she
was mortified about her dress, till she
grew Indifferent to what others said.
Old-fashioned dresses of her mothers
and grandmother's were made over
for her. Sometimes an impairment
companion would ask: docs your
mother keep an old clothes store ?
Edith was pretty child, and looked
like picturein the rich, old-iashioned
materials her mother and grandmother
had worn years before. As Edith
grew taller it becameamore and more
difficult to buy anything new for her.
The child often longsd for common
calico or plain lneriho, so as to look
like her school-mates, and it required
much courage to go among them and
look so different.
All this time she had no design ex-
cept to crafty her craving for knowl-
edge. One day, however. remark
of her teacher gave her a definite OBJ
ject. Edith had worked an example
on the board and explained it in
very clear manner. The teacher COM
plimented her and said II think you
must be cut out for teacher"
From that day Edith pursued her
studies with the view of teaching.
Want of means pressed more and
more heavily. Sometimes the food
was insufficient in quantity and poor
,, IN quality. Unlocked for expenses
would take some of The scanty in
come, and then the family were
obliged to live on short allowance till
the next quarters money came in.
The principal of the school read
: Edith's circumstances in her appear
ance, and helped her by advice and
by giving her an opportunity to ac-
quire experience by taking charge of
classes when teachers were absent.
Let any one who thinks teachers
have an easy time, undertake the
: charge of a large primary class for
day. From seventy to hundred and
fifty restless little mortals crowded to-
, gether in one room, supposed to keep
their bodies perfectly quiet and their
brains very active. The young girl
D who can control the children and teach
=. them at the same time, must be con-
3, stantly on the alert to interest and re-
strain, The labor is intense, and
three o'clock finds the teacher wea-
I ried in body and mind.
: Edith's first experience frightened
7 her. She had a headache long be-
: fore the session was over, and she was
obliged to lie down when she went
home. All night she dreamt of the
children, and wakened every little
while, with her hand out to keep some
restless child in proper position.
Miss Roberts, the principal, en-.
: couraged her, and in time Edith could
take charge Of class without being
entirely overcome.
! At seventeen, Edith was tall, in
tellectual looking girl. She was head
of the class just about to graduate.
,, Her compositions were read before the
school, and her general excellence was
the wonder and admiration of teach
ers and scholars.
Home troubles depressed her and
gave sad expression to her eyes.
Inez was 80 fretful, and old Mrs. Du.
molland 80 feeble, that Mrs Bonne-
vile was delighted when Edith came
from school each day. Edith's after
moons were spent in teaching Inez
and waiting on her grandmother.
, The poor girl had to manage her les
sons the best way she could. She
thought over them while attending to
household duties and did her writing
when IBez was asleep.
Clothing was more of a problem
than ever. Even Edith's mathemat-
les did not help much. Nothing in
the text books nor in the object teach
ing could change old clothes into new
ones. Nobody but Cinderella's Fairy
Godmother could do such marvel
lous thing, and poor Edith was going
to graduate, and her class ates were
talking of their graduating dresses,
and how they would wear their hair.
Their graduating dresses occupied the
minds Of the young ladies much more
than their graduating studies. Many
of the girls were well off and could
! buy expensive dresses; with Edith it
was merely question Of not looking
singular The last Of the stock of an
Gent dresses had been worn every
: day for two months. II was thread.
bare and mended in several places.
Inez and Edith looked over every
thing in the apparel line-there was
very little to look overland at length
decided they could do nothing better
than do up the old white muslin Edith
had worn tor two Summers.
1t was dotted muslin that had
: been Mrs. Bonnsville's before her mar.
rage.
Inez took out tuck and trimmed
the neck and sleeves with old lace.
She wanted Edith TO have sash, and
Mrs. Dumolland let her rip the back
breadth out Of her only good dress.
Poor old lady, she seldom wore
anything but a morning gown, and
she would give anything she owned
to Edith.
Edith looked very pretty and very
: old fashioned, sitting among her class
mates. Some of the committee smiled
at the yellow lace and black silk sash,
: Int faara ooma into M;aa ID oho.t'