The River Falls times. [volume] (River Falls, Pierce County, Wis.) 1894-1933, 1897-10-12
CHAPTER ".


of about half an
acre of the. terrestrial sphere, the chief
part of which was laid down with shin
gle, affording an excellent opportunity
of research for such pupils as were
studying geology. AS this fact was
found, however, on discovery, to de-
press the spirits of parents, and cause
them to imagine they might be de-
ceived in other particulars as we'll as
the grounds, the Misses Prism always
fastened to correct the erroneous i'm
preston by assuring their would-be
patrons that they only received young
ladies of the highest families, and from
the most select circles of society.
The Misses Prism forgot to mention,
whilst abiding to this part of the sub
ject, that Miss Jane Prime, of the first
class, was the eldest daughter of the
gentleman who provided them with
beef, and that he had been gradually
induced, as the young lady advanced
in years, to increase his deduction from
the weekly butchers bills, from one
pound to thirty shillings. 1t would al
so, doubtless, have been wasting the
time of their visitors to explain that the
reason the two Misses Candy were num-
bered amongst the select, was, that
their papa was the principal grocer in
the town, or that the two Misses Wat
ers represented a certain number OF
quarts of milk, and that, to make a
long story short, they accepted any pu-
pills they could get, without the slight
est reference to their ancestors or an
tecedentS
The seminary at Pomona Villa was
conducted on precisely the same prin-
ciples as the generality of it's kind, and
turned out as finished women, with
some few exceptions. This was the
boarding-school to which Ruthven de-
cided to send Margaret O'Reilly. In
his dilemma, he had gone, naturally
enough, to a married lady friend, the
wife of one of his bons comrades; a
woman who had no children of her
own, but had heard of the Misses Prism
through some one else, and Ruthven
seized on the first opportunity present
ments for the reception of his protege
at Pomona Villa, through the penny
post. He wrote FRANKLY that her edu-
cation had been neglected; but that was
no drawback in the eyes of the Misses
Prism. "They would give all the more
attention to the sweet child, that she
might realize every hope her excellent
f1,, =
Ruthven WINGED under the CORE
spondence, but considered that a few
years with the Misses Prism could do
the girl no harm.
GAS soon as she can read and write"
he thought, Il shall put her under Mrs.
Delamaine, who'll make an excellent
little chambermaid of her, or train her
for any other line she may prove able
to fill. | can't hear of her going into
burlesque or the ballet with that face.
It's quite enough responsibility for me
to have picked her out of the gutter
without mourning more. I often think
I've done a hair Drained thing; but I'm
in for it now, and the only course to
take is to go through it as creditably
as | can. So first to close with Miss
Prism"
Both Ruthven and Mrs. Garrett had
anticipated some difficulty when they
told Peg she was to go to school, but
to their establishment the girl evinced
the greatest delight at the prospect.
"Oh am glad" she CALCULATED sit
is real good of Mr.. Ruthven to send me
to get some learning. I want to be a
lady so much, and read all the books
Master Hamilton does, and do beautiful
writing like he can
''Lor' bless the galr' exclaimed the
irate housekeeper, you don't go to sup
pose that reading and writing will make
you a lady? You'll never be a lady,
live as long as you may so the sooner
you get that notion out of your head
the better"
"Sha'n't never?" said Peg, in tone
of disappointment, clasping her little
thin hands together; mot if tries very
hard? Why, heard Mr.. Ruthyen say