The Chautauqua Girls At Home

ing. She came home with springing step, and with her heart full of plans and possibilities for the future. Not even the dismalness of her unattractive ro

oss of Chr

er the wrec

such a theme, and her last thought, as she closed her eyes for

d all drudgery, and the plans she had formed the night before seemed impossibilities. The face of nature had changed wonderfully. In place of radiant sunshine there was falling a steady, dismal rain;

s, which she imagined had gone from her. It was not that she felt utterly dismal and desolate; it was not that she had forgotten her late experiences; it was not that she did not know that she had the Friend who

r privilege to stand, despite what was going on below, she did not understand. She did not know what effect the weather and the sen

her; and the thought that she was actually looking to Flossy Shipley and Eurie Mitchell for help of any sort brought the fir

nce of a long summer vacation? Next week, or even to-morrow, they will have battled with, and, in a measure, choked the spirit of disgust, or homesickness, or weariness, with which they come back from

all in every whiff of wind, you will understand that Marion was to have comparatively little help from outside influences. She felt the gloom in her heart deepen as the day w

imply silly; they laughed on every possible occasion, with or without an excuse; they devised ways and means to draw off the attention of these who made faint efforts to be studious; and, in short, were decidedly the mo

arned to tread. But they followed her: several of the teachers, in a gayety of mood, that was half affected to hide the homesickness of their hearts, and therefore infected no one el

then it is clearly your duty to help the afflic

r with her than with any other. She wondered now how it could have been that she had liked her! Her voice sounded so shrill and unwi

own before night. How do yours range?" And she

are. The blunders that these aspiring young ladies and gentlem

n-place as that; it must be history, at least. Here is Allie March struggling for the adva

had aspired to help forward in her Christian life. If she had seen that sneer and heard those sharp words would it have h

rof. Easton said, as he came and leaned

looked up w

rning days: 'Many are called, but few are chosen.' T

aptly, and with stinging sarcasm. Perhaps that was one reason why she so keenly felt their im

s, seemed so fearful to her, and she felt that she had so narrowly escaped that end, that

olemn truth? No, he had only a laugh for reply; it might have been at Miss Banks' rueful face that he laughed; but Mario

oing to the woods to camp-meeting? How was that? I verily believe you spent your time on the anxious-seat, and have caught the expression. Did you find anyone to say to y

rrecting with a nervous start, and her

in such a shockingly irreverent way? Surely you profess to have

f. Easton, how is that? Miss Wilbur has been to camp-meeting, and is not responsible for her words, but you ought to be good authority. Is it wicked for me to quote Scripture? Haven't I as good a right to Bible verses as any of

appointed face. He was not equal to a bold spreading of his professed colors. He laughed, not easily, or as if he enjoy

you must remember," he said at last. "People can always be exc

y, as if he desired to avoid a

many years' standing, see no impropriety in this manner of quoting the very words of the Lord himself! or hadn't he sufficient moral courage to rebuke it? Either conclusion was distastef

ried to join the other teachers as usual, and felt an air of stiffness, or embarrassment, or unnaturalness, of some sort, in t

r, as the afternoon session dragged its slow hours along. The air of the school-room seemed close and unbearabl

er, tried each window in succession during the afternoon, and came to the desp

taken even unusual sharpness; her self-command was giving way. Instead of helping, she had been positively an injur

studious scholar in her room. Every teacher knows that the good scholar who occasionally makes a failure is t

ided for that; but she was, as a rule, lady-like in her manners and

endence of manner to ever become that lady's favorite. Why, as to that, I am not sure that she had a favorite; there

witting her teacher than had any other young la

t exasperating manner, and at times exhibited a dullness that was very hard to bear patiently, because Marion felt so certain that it was either feigned or the result of willful inattentio

me. If you please you may bring your book to the desk and take the seat

eading young lady in the school! and Rev. Dr. Dennis' only daughter! Some of the scholars looked aghas

n, and her dangerous position as a leader, she had been obliged to receive a public reprimand; she had never in he

and the school waited breathlessly, being about equally divided as to whether she would obey or rebel. Marion her

ennis; you may come to the desk or repair at once to Pro

orst thing that Gracie Dennis thought could happen to her. She arose again, and now she had

your orders, Miss Wilbur; I cert

re quietly than any hour that had preceded it, Marion, as she caught glimpses now and then of the face bent over her Latin Grammar, saw tha

and Prof. Easton himself came around to speak to Marion. He paused in astonishment as he caught sight of the culprit beside her, and for an

her eyes after the first swift glan

I could have done otherwise? If almost any of the others had given me half the provocation that she has to-day, I should have sent them to Prof. Easton, without question. Why should I hesitate in her favor? Oh, me, what a miserable day it has been! and I meant it to be such a good one! I wonder if my C

mbered among those on whom others were looking and wondering if their religion meant anything but

Then she went back over the day, and tried to discover wherein she had failed, and how she might have done what would have b

alf the girls in the school, what would be forgotten by the best of them in a day or two, would burn in this girl's memory, an

mething to him. Then it was doubly hard for Gracie. She began to feel sorry for her; to

d such wonderful things of her. I wish I had managed differently; it is too late now; I wo

en nothing was heard save the scratch of pens, for the entire room was engaged in a dictation

, for all were industriously at work, and Marion had a chance to

ass, and Marion had not volunteered it. Truth to tell, she hardly dared venture to address her at all. The eyes had

ook in her hand, felt her heart arrested by t

burdens, and so fulfi

these girls have had to bear to-day! Had she helped them? Had her manner been winning and hopeful and invigorating?

self time to shrink from the determination, s

s direction to-day; have you? Do you thi

as nearly rude as she had dared to make it? Marion felt her heart thro

assing out of them. In its place there was a puzzled, wondering, questioning look. And, when at last she spo

you mean that you want to fulfill

as Gracie's did, "and that I want above all things, to fulfill hi

sad thoughts th

re to tell? Prof. Easton is a Christian, but he doesn't care enough about the Lord Jesus to rebuke those who profane his name; he has let me do it

ful, queenly in her dignity, and haughty, even in her mirt

how to be thankful enough!" And then she raised her head s

h her. And, while, as I told you, many of them liked, and all of them respected her, it was yet an unheard of thing for the scholars to caress Miss

words were h

didn't mean to annoy you. I don't k

shed her line, and was staring in undisguised as

"we have each something to forgive. I think I have been too

d with joy in her heart. It was not all profession. It meant something to those girls; to Grace Dennis it meant everythi

n, in any sense, what she meant to be; what she ought to have been.

, to remember it no more. It all seemed very natural to her t

titude of sins. How easy it seemed to her that it would be to ov