The Washington critic., 1886-10-28

81 DO not know what you're talking
about" said Ellen, quietly; you are
all disposed to Joke, see, but I'll for
give you, for you no doubt do not in'
tend to wound my feelings
Mot for The world, dear Ellen"
said Miss Thorpe; you are an angel In
heart, and hard indeed would be ours
If we could wantonly hurt the feelings
Of our gentle sister. But tell me, dear.
est, what Is the name of this modern
Plato we have here. | never can re-
member his name; this sage boy who is
TO he Erasmus the second?"
do you mean Mr.. Williams" asked
Ellen, meekly.
That's the manp' cried Agnes.
"''PhTbus, what a name
To I'LL the sounding trump of fame y
II came to ca you all to prayers" "
said Ellen Saunders, "and they are
waiting for u.s."
A few days after the above converse
tion the Parson put the school in a
fut;cr by informing his pupils that his
nephew would be at their approaching
examination and he intended to give
him a party.
Il inform you of this" said Mr..
Cole, That you may write to your
parents in time, and be prepared with
dresses suited to the occasion. The
party will be on the first night of May,
and you may have May Queen, If you
choose; what say you?"
agreed agreed" cried all the girls
at once.
"And you shall select the Queen"
said several Of his pupils to the Parson;
are might not be able to agree"
IL was thinking" replied the Parson,
Chat we had better have no Queen; 1t S
an invidious honor, and might cause
heart burnings."
The young ladies protested that it
| should not, each one declaring that she
would be satisfied with the choice of
| the Parson.
II cannot distinguish among my
children" said the good old man; "you
are oil, in my eyes, equally fair
but, then, some may be better than
others" replied Miss Anderson.
80 they may; but that's for the
world, not me, to determine" an
swered the teacher.
Suppose we let your nephew
choose, - said Mrs. Cole.
"Oh, that's the very idea" eX.
claimed Miss Agnes Thorpe, her eyes
sparkling with conscious superiority;
"Mr. Cole is the very man to choose
and rs he is a stranger to us all, he will
have no prejudices."
My nephew would not like the
task" said Mr.. Cole "he would not
wish TO say that one of you is more
handsome than the rest.
"Ycs, but father" interposed Miss
Agnes, "you know that some are hand
somer than others, and so do we-and
I'm sure for one will not be offended
at any choice your nephew can make. I"
Nor | ," said Miss Anderson.
"Nor /, nor l." put in all the others.
Suppose Mr.. Williams choose" 4"
said the Parson. The girls Uttered,
Mr.. Williams blushed and the Parson
continued "Mr. Williams is pru-
dent young man, and one of excellent
judgment, and I'm certain would make
a good choice. Will none of you
dove of Glen. Mary 2"
"Do you mean me?'' asked Ellen
Saunders, who was from Glen Mary.
81 do" answered the Parson; las
you have not yet spoken, / should like
| 10 nave your views.
"Indeed," said Ellen, "Td be so glad
to have May day frolic that III be
perfectly satisfied with any sort Of ar.
rangements you all may agree upon. "
"Would you like for Mr.. Williams
to choose the Queen?" asked Miss Stan
dish, with a sly glance at the other
girls.
IF the rest of you would" replied
Ellen.
"But tell me dear" said the Parson,
"who would You prefer to choose the
QueenY"
"Ill declarc-I have but one choice
about it, answered Ellen; 81 want the
others to be satisfied, and all to be
happy; and then, and not until then,
Iii be satisfied and happy also"
"Wcll spoken" said Mrs. Cole
chose are excellent sentiments, and
hope all sympathize in them"
mo doubt all do, said the Parson
"but | think y can easily settle the
whole matter to the satisfaction of all.
dislike TO see preferences made; you
are all handsome enough, and agree
able enough; we are none of us good
us we might be. So that beauty, good
ness or ngreeablcness shall not be thu
test. The matter shall be determined
partly by accident and in way that viii
give general satisfaction. Tomorrow
morning each one of you shall go scpa
rately into the garden and bring me
present, and the one whose presen
most becomes female royalty shall b.
the queen"
but who is to determine this?'
| asked Miss ThOrpe,
"All of us" replied the Parson. 81
we do not all agree, then the choic
shall be determined in some o,he
way. "You will find violets, tulips
roses, pinks, hyacinths and other flow
ers in bloom"
"But suppose more than one of Us
bring the same thing" suggested Ellel
Saunders.
"That you will hardly do; but to pre-
vent it you must each bring com
pound present. You all have studic'
the same botany, and you all therefor
attach the same language to the sam
flowers; but If you do not, you ma
each translate for yourselves"
On the morning appointed Mis-
Agnes Thorpe, who was the first t
, enter the garden was somewhat startle'
as she passed the gate by the question
WHO are you? who are you?, uttere
in hoarsc, unnatural voice above he
. head. She cast her eyes up, and say
| sitting among the tangled vines owe
} the arbor large green parrot, to who's
; interogatory, often repeated, she mad
no reply, and passed on, still littl
lmried, to Gull and arrange bouquC
, worthy of queen. Miss Standish wa
| the next to enter, and she too like Mis-
. Thorpe, was alarmed by the strang
porter ut the gate, nor did she max
| any reply. Indeed, every girl thu
passed was In her turn frightened b
. the strange voice above her-some, |