Orleans County monitor. [volume] (Barton, Vt.) 1872-1953, 1886-11-01
That Grand MatCh--A
Study from Life.


this term?' ''I'm sorry to say no;
Miss Allen asked to be on a floor
lower and as you wrote for your old
room | have put Miss Burdick, one
Of the new girls, in with you. You
will like her, Pm sure, and-you will
60 up now?'
Miss Lane, the digniied lady prin-
cipal of the ''female college IN
whose catalogue my name had been
for year, rose as she spoke, and |
followed her obediently to my old
room, sighing to think of new face
in its limits. A tall, slender girl sat
by the window studying. She rose
and bowed awkwardly as Miss Lane
named us to each other; then as she
glided away, applied herself again to
her book, evidently because she did
not know what else to do. / changed
my dress and then threw myself on
the bed. My trunk had not come up
yet and l had no mind to ask after
lessons.
Ibid you come long ways! p
Miss Burdick asked at length, and
when I had answered she timidly
pittied my fatigue and asked if she
4
could do anything. She seemed to
want to say more, when l had de-
clined any assistance, but not finding
ideas at hand opened her French
grammar again, while /, now rested
little, examined her curiously. Not
more than seventeen, slight, graceful
when trained, her present awkward
ness being largely self-consciousness.
and decidedly pretty. Some farmers
girl sent here to learn music and
manners. At that time prided my
self on my skill in reading characters
in faces. l said of her: shy, proud,
sensitive, bright perhaps, but want
ING force and decision. And as /
passed judgment the tea-bell rang.
The school was large one. We
walked IN two decorus files into the
dining-room, folded our hands meek
ly during a long grace, and then,
over our weak tea and dried apple
sauce, broke into tempest of talk.
I had greetings in plenty to give and
receive, and after the meal was over
| waited for special chat with my
old room mate. The hour after tea
was the freest Of the day, and the
the length of the long halls and the
chapel beyond was full of girls talk
ing, laughing. singing, few trying
to read in the babel. Mary Allen
and had a great deal to say but it
was not until the study bell rang that
thought to ask as to my new chnm-
And then Mary said, so don't you
remember Astor Burdick, who won
the Lauden defamation prize last
year? Of course you do, for he
thought you,-there now l won't say
say another word, my dear, but this
girl is his sister,"
: 81 hope she's not like him." My
f recollection of his pushing ways and
l loud admiration for me was not
pleasant.
'sShe seems like a nice girl and
. she's eager to learn. She looks shy
and proud, not like him in that way
: He was all vanity and presumption. '
t After months acquaintance
v could only echo Mary's judgment
! My room mate was shy, proud ant
studious; but so quiet that l hardly
knew more of her than the first day
= Then there came on US one of thos,
$ wild autumnal storms which, will
It close-hung clouds and monotonou
/ dash of rain, seem to preclude hop'
of future sunshine. Such days sti
:, the fever of my blood, make me long
for impossibilities and weary of slov
9 work and slower results. When W
e sat down to tea we heard in ever
le pause of our ftful talk the gust
$. beating the oak branches against tn
pane, and far off the dull thunder Q
" ~ the sea. did not linger in the par
IS lors that night, but instead ran up t.
the upper hall, that | might walk my
self into quiet there. But at tn
d second turn / stumbled on a fello'
ID pilgrim, and door opening jus
rs then, showed me that it was m
= roommate.
~ ~ sis it you, Ruth?" l said, putin
,d my arm round her in sudden divir
in alton of homesickness. "Do com
rs into our room. It's too cold for I
l. here and l want some one to tai
TO-"
x Che followed me ohediently epoug
u she was always yielding | noticed
- but she had no mind to talk. St
n,
en- stood by the window after | ha
l settled to my books, turning hi
he flushed cheek to the cool pane,
feverish restlessness in her who
n" " manner. "Does your head ache
oo / asked at last.
,t- mo, indeed u with an impatiei
gesture. ''It's nothing,-only L
vn tired-and sick Of things generall
'ut You needn't think I'm homesit
va | think to- night that | never want
~ ~, see Huntley's Crossing again. Wht
. bird has had a glimpse of libert
on his cage isn't any the pleasanter,
ah il?"
Ii 1t was the frankest speech [ h.
vet heard from her and looked e.