Part 14 (1/2)

[Transcriber's note: page 159from book]

CHAPTER XV

BEGINNING SCHOOL

The school-room was very cheerful and pleasant There s on both sides of the room, and all the space between the as covered with blackboards or an to feel really happy when she sat down on a bench with the new scholars, waiting to be exaned to a class She loved study, and was always happy during school-hours, and generally very good, too, for she was too busy to get into ood report to wilfully break any rules ”I wonder if you are as far advanced as I am,” whispered Maude, as she sat down beside Ruby

It was on the tip of Ruby's tongue to tell her that she had been at the head of her class for a long time at home, but she remembered in time to check herself that it was not at all probable that whispering was allowed here ht break a rule the very first thing if she should answer

One by one Miss Chapirls up to the desk where she sat, and questioned them about their studies and the books they had used, and Miss Ketchum, at her side, wrote down the answers in a little book

Then the girls were assigned a seat, and Miss Ketchum took their books to them, and showed them what the lesson would be

Ruby was very much pleased when she found that she was to be in the class with girls ere, er than herself, and as she was not at all shy, she could answer all the questions Miss Chapood idea of what the little girl really knew

Some of the new scholars were so shy that they could scarcely answer, and Miss Chapman knew that it would take two or three days to find out how far advanced they were

Very much to Maude's surprise, she was put in a class below Ruby She was not at all pleased with this, for it was a great irl whom she had looked down upon was beyond her in her studies

Maude had never attended school regularly, but had stayed at ho consent fro when there was really no reason at all why she should not have been at her desk Even when she had attended school it had never occurred to her that it was for her own benefit that her teachers tried to have her learn her lessons She had shi+rked them as much as possible, and as no teacher has tiirl ill not study when there are sowith very little study, and so, of course, had learned but little

She was ashairls were in the class with her, and she made up her mind that she would study so hard that she would soon be promoted into the class in which Ruby had been put

It took until recess ti, and the scholars were free to go out upon the lawn for a half-hour A basket of rosy-cheeked apples was passed about, and all the children were very ready for one Soht, rather wistfully, how nice it would be if she, too, were going home when school should be out

Maude did not care about being with Ruby during recess time, for she was afraid that Ruby would re, and remind her that she instead of Maude was the farthest advanced in her studies Ruby was beco acquainted with so of school life very pleasant

The rest of the er than the first part had done, and Ruby as well as lad when the noon intermission came The day-scholars took out their lunch-baskets, and prepared to eat their lunches, and the bell rang for the boarding-scholars to go up to their rooirl reached the door, she stopped, turned around andopposite the door

Ruby watched the girls as they went out one by one She was quite sure that she could never o came nearer and nearer

What should she do? If her Aunt Eht have asked her to let her stay in the school-rooo without her dinner than try to irls looking at her What if she should tu to make it? It seemed very likely that she would, the very first tiht of such an accident irls and then Miss Chapman's eyes would be fixed upon her, and it would be tiirls, and then the last one had gone, and Ruby knew that sheas shy as Ruthy had ever felt, and stood there a irls looking at her?

She hesitated so long that all the girls looked up to see why she did not go out

Ruby stood in the door one e-way as fast as she could go, feeling as if now she raced herself forever

She had coood- away had of course h at her

What would Miss Chapive her bad marks, or put her at the foot of her class, or keep her in after school?

Anything would be bad enough, but the worst of all to proud little Ruby was the thought that she had failed in doing so which all the other scholars seemed to have done so easily