Middlebury register. (Middlebury, Vt.) 1886-1937, 1902-04-04
'>~~><~@<<@~<~@@>>@a><~@>@
THE REWARD 5
OF MERIT @ rs 5
Observation-Disclosures,


school for young ladies, fashionable
seminary in the town of n. 1t was
the month of February, and as the end
of the second term of the school year
was drawing near the quarterly exam
nations were in progress. Iii one Of
the contest apartments in the buildings
six young ladies, all members of the
art GLASS; were assembled, busily en-
gagged in conversation. 1t was Il typ
ical college girls room. Photographs
and souvenirs of various kinds deco
rated the walls and mantel, and a heter-
ogeneous assortment of bric-a-brac was
scattered here, there and everywhere
The latest magazine, with its leaves
uncut, lay upon the center table. In
one corner of the room stood an easel
with an unfinished painting thereon
while charcoal drawings, pencil sketch
es and studies in still life gave mute
evidence of the presence of the student
Amy Hildreth, the hostess, bright
faced girl of sixteen, was just now the
central figure in the animated group
She was the daughter of a clergyman
and one of the most popular girls in the
school.
81 say it's q shame" cried Minnie
May, a curly haired blond. You're
the most talented girl in the class, and
to think of your having to leave now,
without even a chance to try for the
prize You'd be sure to win it. The rest
of us wouldn't have the ghost of an
opportunity"
'Bess takes lessons simply for the
name Of the thing" said Lottie Moore.
"Now, with me it's different. l expect
to teach some day if 1 ever succeed in
painting a rose which can be distin-
guished from a cabbage by any means
except its color"
"As far as l am concerned" said EN-
ma Brainard, a tall, stately looking
girl with a profusion of wavy black
hair framing her piquant face, Mime.
MS prize is perfectly safe. You know,
girls, l don't pretend to paint anything
except miniatures. Should l ever be-
come celebrity in that line | shall
tour Europe and paint all the crowned
heads"
The prize referred to was gold med
al and a scholarship for the coming
year. to be given for the best flower
piece painted by any member of the art
class after one years course of lessons
in the seminary. Amy's work up to
this time had shown unusual excel
lence, and her talent, if opportunity to
develop it were given, would without
question have enabled her to take pre-
cedence of all the others, even those
of the students who had had the ad
vantage of previous study before enter
ing the school for a special course. But
letter from her mother, received that
very morning, had given her hopes in
that direction a decided blow.
"You know, daughter" she had writ
ten, "your fathers salary is not large,
and am really afraid we shall have to
have you come home at the end of the
term. If your board were the only
thing, it would be different matter,
but the lessons are very expensive, and
as it is not at all probable that painting
will ever amount to anything more
than a mere accomplishment / do not
see my way clear just now to help you
out, much as / would like to have You
continue. 1t pains me to tell you this,
for | know your heart is set on com
pleting the course but l see no other
way unless something unexpected
should happen"
"Whats this, Amy? A valentine"
asked one of girls, holding up combi-
nation of painted flowers and satin rib
bon which she had discovered among
the collection of souvenirs on the man.
tel
Eyes" said Amy, with merry
laugh. "And, by the way, tomorrow is
the 14th Suppose we each surprise
our favorte teacher with bunch of
dollhouse flowers. We can get them at
Green's when we go out for our walk"
Capital" said Lottie. "Tll give
bunch of American Beauties to Miss
Whitley. l think she is too sweet for
anything"
$50 do l." assented Minnie. "She's
entirely too pretty TO be buried in this
poky little country town."
81 shall give mine to Miss Sue, the
Latin teacher, and it will he lilies of
the valley" said Bess. "She always
makes me think of a lily, she is so
sweet and graceful"
"What about our town teacher, Miss
Graves" ventured Amy.
a general laugh arose.
"Hcr name is certainly suggestive"
said one. For instance, one might
compose a couplet after this sort:
"Se.aphira, l adore theel
Take these flowers, / implore thee!
"Where do you suppose she ever got
that name? And she is so funny look
ing with those old fashioned little cork
screw curls and her dainty, mincing
steps"
81 don't think she is funny looking"
said Amy. 81 think her white curls are
quaint, and then her work-why, it's
simply grand! You know that painting
in the reception room, The Ruins of
CarthageY l heard one of the teachers
say it took the first prize at the Paris
exposition"
"Runs of Carthage! Probably they