The Manitowoc pilot. [volume] (Manitowoc, Wis.) 1859-1932, 1889-11-21
GRACE'S EXPERIENCE.

When l was girl of fifteen my faith
er was obliged to go abroad, and my
mother desired to 90 with him.
was left with an aunt, who had
large family of small children; and
hardly was the steamer that conveyed
my parents away out of sight Of land
before something catching broke out
in the nursery.
In terror of responsibility my aunt
decided that / must be got out of the
house at once. and, taking counsel with
a nci@hbor discovered that Miss Ar
ington, who kept a boarding and day
school not far of. was prepared to re
ceive a few new pupils. t..t y
Miss Arlington was dignity itself, and
we saw her at the opening of school
and at its close. During the rest of
the day she was supposed to devote
herself in some mysterious manner to
our welfare, by shutting herself up in
a very elegant library, with globes and
other scholastic-looking appurtenances
scattered about. where she received
parents. IA
OcoHrse we were rever5safpposed to
90 out alone, and our hours of rising
and retiring were early.
A white-capped maid put the chill
dren 10 bed. and slept IN the dormitory;
but as for the older girls. they We're
supposed to be able to take care of
themselves.
After prayers we all filed upstairs,
receiving each kiss from little Miss
Fay, who stood beside the banisters.
Ut llalf-past nine the gas was turned
L
passed along the corridors on every
floor. Ii a whisper were heard a little
knock followed, and a voice said, 'Sil-
ence. Five minutes after, the step
came again. \ report OF ''all asleep"
was made to Miss Arlington, and the
process OF locking, eAsining, aud de-
liyering the keys totbe principal went
on. -
Ten minutes qfter tllislwe all lighted
our candles. produced locks to read,
candies to eat. cards with hiefit To play
games. On the first nigthaHibis was
surprise to me: Il 'wasIsEpf,a- to Sc
creey, however, and infaraaad that l
must pay my share. of the expense of
candles. confecsiop9ry, ar ID books from
a circulating library. if wished to en-
Joy. the luXurieS. : As Twas well pro-
vided With pocket money l was able
to make myself popular at once, and
fntingfthat | was, rs theg said law
fully nice | soon learned the most
sensational secrets of~@the tirst-clasS
dorniitory- They had made conquests.
Elma Lane and Daisy Dew had love
letters. In their walks, although that
prim Miss Grove always headed the
procession, they had had 1hrtatidns.
Daisy had a fashionable mother, who
lived abroad. and did not want people
to guess her old enough to have a
daughter of seventeen; and Elma's
father, who was a widower, was on an
exploring expedition somewhere. They
were not we'll looked after, and could
do as they chose ii they could keep lit
from Miss Arlington. They were both
girls who had wealthy relatives.
Daisy's dearest friend was the occupant
of "A veritable palace, where she often
went. Elma's sister came to take her
out of town on Saturdays. and her
home was surrounded by a park. and
filled with expensive works of art, ahd
her brother-in-law's yearly income was
immense. st E -
De Lancy St. Clair admired her; Rob
erto Leon, who WIS of IN old Castilian
family, adored Daisy. s5s5 -
To me. brought up bya careful moth
er. my library thus far limited to the
stories of Miss Edgeworth and Miss
Alcott. and kindred works. who had
never heard love talked about. and felt
myself vet little girl all this was new
and enchanting, when one night a
whistle WAS heard, and amidst great
excitement in the dormitory, Elma let
down hy means of a ball of twiue a lit
tie basket, which she drew UP filled
with chocolate caramels and letters.
Ny heart beat wildly. Lovers were be-
low there at the side wall. Oh, if Miss
Arlington were. to open her window
and pop her head out, SIS ss{z
| was quivering with fear, yet de-
lighted with the novelty of the affair.
| had no idea how wrong it all was; |
was too romantic | fancied all this 2
pure and beautiful manifestation of
love; and when one night it was an
nounced that Elma and Daisy were go
ing to the theatre with Leon and St.
Clair Ionly wondered how they could
eontrge it. 49, #*#* 1.
Very easily said Daisy. s.After
tea l shall ask to go to bed early on ac-
count of a headache. and that Elma
may 60 with me. Miss Arlington viii.
say. 4 headache again? Dear, dehr.
am SO sorIyn and viii kiss me on the
forehead; aud shall come up here, and
Elma will follow ME with large bottle
of Cologne water bestowed by Miss Ar
Hngton's august hands; and we will go
down the servants stairs when we are