Anonymous

“ Carrie’s glance around the disordered room seemed only to add to her perplexities; and, tossing back her bright curls, she bent over the large trunk, looking into its depths with a thoughtful air, as if studying the best possible arrangement. She did not appear to derive much satisfaction from her investigations ”

“ Carrie cried, and Susan attempted to comfort her, for Florence had no time to devote to consolation. She was not so easily disheartened. She said nothing, but proceeded to act. She had always an abundance of pocket-money; for her father kept her liberally supplied, and she had long since learned that “money is power.”
During her practice-hour in the afternoon, while Miss Forester was engaged in school, she stole out to the livery-stable and made an arrangement with the keeper to send a carriage a half-hour later than Mr. Worcester’s order. ”

“ Who is that with you?”
“Miss Winthrop, and my best friend, Carrie Stanley.”
“Miss Winthrop,” said the stranger, with a most bewitching smile, “will you not allow me to take my little cousin and her friend out for a short drive?”
Miss Winthrop hesitated.
“Oh, I’ll make it all right with Mr. Worcester. I know him very well. Tell him, if you please, that Miss Montague will be responsible for the safe return of his pupils. Jump in, girls. It is not so very long since Miss Winthrop and I have been school-girls ourselves; and we know what a treat a drive is.” ”

“ The school-bell soon rang, and the new pupils followed the other girls across a covered gallery to the school-room. It was a pleasant apartment, and the cousins had very excellent seats given them near a window. Florence was quite a near neighbour here also.
“The Fates seem to throw us in each other’s way,” she whispered, with a pleasant smile.
“What can’t be cured
Must be endured,” whispered Carrie back again,—half in jest and half in earnest. ”

“ The tide of popular feeling was altogether on the side of the culprits, whose penalty was universally declared to be too severe; and, as Florence did not hesitate to accuse Susan of having been the informant, repeating her own declaration that if questioned she should not lie, it was the conviction of most of the girls that she had been the traitor.
An informer is always despised at school ”

“ To all this Nora, her informant, assented,—for Miss Forester was no favourite; but such epithets, though they might possibly act as a safety-valve for Florence’s indignation, were powerless to extricate the culprits from their dilemma.
It was in vain to look for counsel from Carrie; she was too much frightened to be of the least service: indeed, it seemed to afford her great relief when Florence, nerving herself up for the penalty, exclaimed,—
60 “There’s one consolation, Carrie. They can’t kill us! ”

“ Well meant as this was, Susan could not have said any thing more injudicious. Carrie66 flamed up in defence of her friend in an instant.
“She is not so bad as you make her out to be; and, as to influence, Florence says (and she ought to know) that I have a great deal over her.”
“All I can say,” replied her cousin, “is that I judge of a person’s influence by the effect it produces. The reason why I think Florence influences you more than you do her, is because I see that you are changed very much, and I don’t see that she is, one particle. You are in great danger, Carrie. ”

“ Worcester; and I guess she can, for she always does make everybody and every thing do just as she chooses. We shall go, I know; and won’t we have a grand time?”
“I wish Susie could go too,” was her friend’s only reply. “It looks a little selfish in me to go and leave her behind.”
51 “Nonsense! No, it doesn’t. She won’t think any thing of it. Cousin Fanny never heard of her, you know. Of course, Susan wouldn’t want you to stay at home on her account. That would be selfish enough!”
“If she were only invited too,” persisted Carrie, “I should be perfectly happy.” ”

“ Miss Forester looked at her with a glance of keen intelligence.
“There is a great deal to be learned, as you say, even in a quiet nook like this, if one keeps both eyes and ears open,” she replied, meaningly.
The girls passed on.
100 “The hateful old thing!” exclaimed Florence, indignantly.
“Hush! She will hear you,” said Carrie.
“I don’t care if she does! Listeners never hear any good of themselves; and she is no exception to the general rule. The old eaves-dropper! She deserves to be——”
“‘Forgive us our debts as we forgive our debtors,’” said Susan, gently.
“I am not like you, Susie. ”

“ Carrie would say.
“I don’t care about being a third one,” was Susan’s answer,—a reply which annoyed her cousin exceedingly.
“Let her alone: she’s a jealous thing. She must be every thing or nothing,” was Florence’s consolation to her friend when she came to her with these troubles; and at last the advice was taken. Carrie ceased to ask Susan altogether.
Poor Susie spent many unhappy hours alone in her chamber, and shed many bitter tears over this neglect, quite unconscious that she46 herself was partly in fault. ”

“ It is too lovely a day to stay in the house; and, besides, it will be a long time before we sit together in the garden again.”
“Very well,” said her mother; and away she went, followed by her mother and Susie, while Carrie scampered on ahead to the arbour.
It was a very pleasant spot. The large trellis of lattice-work was completely covered with climbing roses of different colours; and the interior was equally charming. It was furnished with garden-chairs, and a little16 table, where it was often Mrs. Stanley’s custom to have tea served in the summer evening. ”

“ I am sure Susie is as full of fun, in her quiet way, as any of the girls.”
“Well, it’s of no use for us to talk about it. Saint Sue don’t like me, and I don’t like her; and we shall probably always remain of the same opinion. There is no love lost between us. If she could have her way, she would never let you speak to me again.”
42 Not long after this conversation, Susan said to her cousin,—
“I really think you ought not to make such a constant companion of Florence.”
“That is just what Florence said you would tell me,” replied Carrie ”

“ She’s a regular nuisance. I’m sick to death of her very name. It’s always ‘Susan! Susan!’ with you, if any thing comes up. But don’t let us talk any more about her now. She isn’t invited; and that’s all about it.”
Florence had her own reasons for not wishing to talk on this subject. In her cousin’s note she had told her that if there were any others of her school-mates whom she wished to invite, she had only to let her know; and, though Florence was determined that Susan52 should not go, Carrie’s regrets on the subject made her feel very uncomfortable. ”

“ Miss Forester, happening to have occasion to go to the kitchen, had overheard all this in the passage, and had sent the servants to bed, volunteering to relieve Margaret of her attendance on the door.
“The mean old thing! The spying, prying old thing!” said Florence. “She is always prowling round and eaves-dropping. ”

“ Susie brushed away her tears and kissed Carrie, and so the subject dropped,—for the time, at least.
44 CHAPTER IV.
THE TABLEAUX PARTY.
This conversation did not have the effect of re-establishing the intercourse between the cousins on its old familiar footing. When they were together, both the girls felt that they must be very careful what they said, lest they should injure each other’s feelings; and this necessity of constant watchfulness over one’s words in presence of another is any thing but pleasant. Nothing can be more surely fatal to a friendship than such a state of mind. ”

“ I am too wicked, and need too much mercy myself, to be severe on others.”
“You wicked!” said Florence. “Then what am I?”
“And yet Jesus loves you,” said Susie.
They talked long and seriously, and Florence listened earnestly.
From that time the girls were firm friends. Florence wished to tell all her schoolmates of her injustice towards her room-mate; but Susie would not consent to this. She would only permit her to tell that the composition was found. Even Carrie knew nothing except this ”

“ After the introductory exercises, Miss Forester, the principal teacher, came to the new pupils, and, after talking with them about their past studies,—how far they had advanced, &c.,—she told them what classes they were to join,30 and added that although she did not expect them to learn the morning’s lessons, yet she wished them to take their places in the different classes, that they might see the mode of recitation.
When the History class was called, the girls came as they had been told to do; and here they sat close beside Florence again. ”

“ The bureaus and closets were both empty.”
“A very natural mistake,” was the reply; “but the way of it is, we have just been moved from our room to accommodate two new girls who are distant relations of our old room-mates, and who want to room together: so we are put in here, and our ‘fixins’ will follow this evening. As we are to be such near neighbours, we might as well introduce ourselves, I suppose. I am Florence Anderson, at your service; and this is Sallie Wendell.”
“My name is Caroline Stanley; and this is my cousin, Susan Cameron,” said Carrie. ”

“ Her schoolmates sympathized with her in her loss; but all their regrets did not restore the missing paper.
To lose that essay on which she had worked so hard and which was to have gained for her so much applause! What a trial. ”

“ The only thing to be gained is a very large number of moral lectures. I left Saint Susan holding forth as I came out; and she was quite horrified and disgusted at my wickedness in not staying to hear her discourse to the end. If any of you feel the need of a sermon, walk into No. 40. Seats free; and she hasn’t got more than half through yet.”
The girls laughed,—some of them heartily.
37 “I declare, it is shameful!” exclaimed Carrie, angrily. Susan said nothing. Her lip quivered as she bent over her slate ”

“ SCHOOL-GIRLS IN No. 40.
CHAPTER I.
A REMOVAL.
“Dear me! dear me!” sighed Carrie Stanley, as she kneeled beside an empty trunk and glanced around her room. “How am I ever to get all these things into two trunks? It’s an impossibility! Where to begin I’m sure I don’t know.”
It was not surprising that Carrie was puzzled as to the proper mode of procedure; for that usually neat apartment was in a state nearly approaching to perfect confusion. The wardrobe stood open, displaying empty hooks ”

“ Stanley. “I see Hannah coming with our lunch. I told her we would have it here to-day.”
Hannah entered, bringing a basket, which contained a table-cloth, napkins, dishes and all that was necessary to spread the table. The girls showed her their presents; and, after she had admired them sufficiently, they proceeded to set the table, while she went back19 to the house and soon returned with the eatables.
“Just the very things I love best,” said Carrie,—“even coffee for your especial benefit, Susie. They begin to treat us as if we were of some consequence, now that we are going away: don’t they? ”

“ But, though at first it seemed a slight punishment, it proved to be a severe one; for soon after Miss Fanny called with an invitation for them to go on a picnic, which she had arranged on a holiday expressly for the sake of their being able to attend. ”

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