Year: 1874




Hing and silly questions, as she had
never even made a garment of any
kind in her life-not even little one
for her babyl / laughed good-natured-
ly; | could not help it.; and told her
that she took too severe view of her


deficiencies-that there were plenty of
other ladies just like her; but she said,
smiling little mournfully in return,
that if L knew how bitterly she had
lately begun to understand what an
uneducated woman in useful matters
she was, and how incenvenent she
had found the position, / would not
wonder at her desire to do better.


The first lesson was succeeded by
others, for several days following, dur
ing which L learned that she had been
married between two and three years;
that she had always before her mar
riage led q gay and luxurious exist
ence, perhaps because she had never
known of any other, her parents being
fashionable butterflies; that she had
passed through n great sorrow, been
very sick when her babe was born, and
now was just beginning to appreciate
some of the realities of life. She con-
fessed that it was when recovering
from sick-bed and among the new
and strange feelings that came with
the birth of her babe, that she had
awakened to the truth and listened to
the promptings, always before ignored,
of her more practical nature. That it
was through the advice of kind
friend who had been with her through
her sickness, that she had purchased
sewing machine, the friend believing
that it would be good beginning in
her efforts to do something useful.


I'll this my new pupil did not tell
me in so many words, but it was the
substance of what 1 gathered by de-
grees. | was very much interested
las usuaD; and one day, as she was
leaving, casually remarked that her
husband was, no doubt, pleased at her
progress in mastering the mystery,
Then [ heard what L had almost be-
tore suspected, as with tears filling
her eyes, she said that she had no
husband, in one sense-that she had
separated from him-that 1t was her
own fault-an act done by her in hot
anger and rage, but now bitterly re-
pented. She indicated that there were
others to blame, but she did not ex-
cuse herself; and said that she had
spent the night previous to the day on
which she had taken her first lesson
in great grief from learning that he
was very soon to sail for Europe, and
the thought they would then be ut
terly and forever separated had nearly
driven her to distraction.


l felt very sorry-never more so for
any human being; her repentance
was so sincere and her sorrow so hope
less. A dim suspicion had been creep
ing through my mind during this last
relation that L had heard story
something akin to this before, and as
she was about leaving reminded her
that although we were well acquaint-
ed as teacher and pupil, had never
yet heard her name, Apologizing for
her remissness, she handed me card
as she left the room. / will not say
that L was very much surprised, for |
had half guessed the incident by intu-
ition, when read on the card l held
in my hand, "Mrs. Oracle Lee"


Yes! twas Harry Lees wife who
had been my pupil! A great many
strange feelings were at work within
my breast during the next ten min
utes. / had not seen Mr.. Lee for
some time: he had avoided the in
struction-room-a course of conduct
for which | had been thankful. l had
heard nothing Of his intention of go
ing to Europe, and felt sure it must be
Il new project, very suddenly thought
of. And why? Had my actions any
thing to do with it? l felt sorely dis
tressed before | had done thinking of
the whole matter; and L might have
been even more so, had | not possessed
u resource always so dear to women
and children - that of d0i71g some
thing.


Now, the rest Of this is going to be
very brief. On my bed that night the
desire to "do something" born of the
necessity, took practical shape, and /
saw my way to my revenge on Harry
Lee. Dickens Christmas stories were
then in the height of their popularity;
| had been fascinated by them and to
their influence and that of the APP
preaching holy season, perhaps, my
plans were chiefly due. | hope my
imaginary bushes may be spared,
when [ say that to accomplish it l
took occasion to throw myself into
Mr. Lees way (of course, by apparent
accident) and that within II week /
had won him back to the instruction.
room and the renewal of our friendly
chats, though at such hours 0ate in
the afternoon) that there was no
chance of his meeting his wife. That
| never labored harder with any pupil
than with that willing but nervous
little lady, to enable her not only to
be proficient at the machine, but seem
so. Then that L progressed by MAX
ing an appointment with Mrs. Lee, on
some excuse as to my convenience, at
4 o'clock in the afternoon before Christ
mas-( Christmas Eve, at q very early
stage of the anniversary and mean
while gained a reputation for benevO-
lence by telling my companions in
teaching that they had better go
home early and enjoy the gay sights
and sounds presented by the streets in
that festive season. And then that |
crowned the whole by making another
with Mr.. Harry Lee, for
the same place, half an hour later,
having in view the necessity of bring
ing him unexpectedly upon his wife
at the very moment when she should
be sewing away at the top of her abil-
ity.


Once upon a time J. had an eXtraor-
dinary bug that L had captured, under
glass tumbler for days, to see the
change by which it would become
something else. 1t effected the
change one night when could not see
it, and 1 was left very little wiser than
before. And L know not much more
about the meeting of Harry Lee. and
his wife, over the sewing-machlne,
that night before Christmas; as (con-
found ity 1 felt myself obliged to leave
them alone together just at the inter
esting moment, and they had made IL


IL. . f.Nt va