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

school than in pay school"
"In private school, Edith-do speak
correctly I don't know anything
about Lena Comstock, but 1 couldn't
think of having you among such a
crowd of low ignorant girls"
"Ohl l do long to go to school.
Lena says she has such nice time.
l want to learn everything the other
girls do. Do let me 60 for a little
while"
Nov, Edith, say no more about it.
1 have taught you to read, and you
must improve yourself 1t will take
you long time to read those books
of your fathers. Yon must inherit
this passion for studying from him. 1
never could see any use in learning
80 much. ="
"But mother, the girls learn other
things, besides reading. They can
write and draw, and do something
they call arithmetic. l do wish |
could learn" and Edith covered her
face and burst into tears.
LET the child try for few days"
said old Mrs. Dumolland, Edith 8
grandmother. "She'll tire Of it, and
then we'll have peace about school.
Il can't bear the idea Of having
Edith there even for day"
Nor |, but | suppose we are too
exclusive. and as so many well-dressed
children attend this school Edith is
so wild about, ! hardly think a few
days can injure her"
"Well, then, let her try. Any
thing to end this continual worry
Edith has thought Of nothing else for
a month.
Then I may go?" said Edith, ca,
gerly raising her head.
Eyes, till you are tired of it. !
give you a week, answered her moth.
er.
II am SO glad. Thank you, grand
ma, for getting mother to give me
permission. Now I'll learn ever Sc
fast, and, Inez, I'll teach you all
know"
These last words we're addressed to
little gill of eight (Edith's sister,,
Inez was afflicted with hip-dissase,
and seldom left the house.
Edith was healthy and active and
fond of playing with the children Of
the neighborhood. Their converse.
ton about school made her perfectly
wild to learn all they were learning
She begged her mother to let her
go to school, and cried every time her
mother refused to let her go.
Mr.. Bonneville, Edith father, died
several years before, leaving a small
income for the support of his family.
Mrs. Bonneville was proud Of her fam
lily, and never thought it possible for
a lady of the family to do anything
for maintenance. She had been
brought up in the West Indies, and
had never attempted to conquer the
luxurious habits there formed. Re-
verses had sent the Dumollands and
Bonnevilles to the United States. A
number of years after, Mr.. Bonneville
and Inez Dumolland married and set
tied in New York. A few years Of
married life and Mrs. Bonneville was
left with her mother, two little girls,
small income, and very exclusive
ideas about herself and children.
Edith had imbibed some democrat
ic ideas, perhaps from the atmosphere
of the great working city in which she
was born; she certainly did not in
herit them from her ancestors. She
liked to associate with the children Of
the neighborhood, without inquiring
if their grandfathers we're Spanish
robbers or French adventures of
Dutch butchers or bakers.
The morning after receiving per-
mission to attend school she dressed
herself very early, hardly tasted her
breakfast, and then ran round the
corner to Lena Comstock's.
Lena was only getting up, and
Edith waited impatiently till her
friend was ready. The sight of so
many hundred children almost took
away Edith's courage. The poor
child was very much disappointed,
too, when she was put into the A B
@ class because she knew nothing
about arithmetic. Her friends were
many classes above her. But she was
determined to persevere and acquire
the, to her, unknown science of num-
bers, as rapidly as possible. The
teacher spoke kindly, and said Edith
should enter higher class as soon as
she learned the arithmetic taught in
the alphabet class.
Edith did not tire of school in few
days, as her grandmother predicted.
The child worked incessantly with her
slate and pencil. Very soon she adj
vanced to higher grade, and in a
year she was with Lena.
Mrs. Bonneville was always intend
ing to take Edith away, but the child's
entreaties prevailed rand'she remained
at school.
Mrs. Bonneville could not afford to
send Bdith to private school, as ev-
cry dollar of her income was needed
to meet necessary expenses.
Inez profted by Edith's schooling,
as Edith faithfully taught her afflic-
ted sister all she learned through the
day.
As the years passed, Edith was re-
cognized in the school as one Of the
best scholars. She was always to be
depended upon for her lessons. Knowl-
edge had great charm for her, and
she read up at home on the subjects