who won the prize ?

New Zealand Tablet, Volume XXVI, Issue 24, 20 October 1898, Page 23

who won the prize ?

Excitement prevailed in Miss West's fashionable school ; for word had gone forth that, instead of the usual medal given to each girl wholtood first in each study at the end of the year, there would be onhr oneprize-a dainty gold watch for the girl who had the highest number of marks. ' And this,' added Miss West, ' includes not only ffood lessons but also general good conduct.' Now, there were two girls in the school who were naturally brighter and more studious than the rest-Anna Sutton and Ada Cunnngham. Anna was an orphan who had formerly studied at the Ursuline convent. Much against her will, she had been taken away when her only brother married ; for his wife, in a kind, sisterly Whad preferred having the little girl with her So, as the c^ent wa P s too far distant, Anna was sent to Mss West' s school, where everything under the sun was taught except a love of God. LueS Anna's early training stood her in good stead She went to see her dear nuns every Saturday ; she went to confession every other week, and she steadily resisted the temptation to cheat at work For it was a very common thing for these young ladies to work : out their examples by the key, claim that their dictations had W properly spelled; and finally carry thsir books to the classes wTth them, and peeP ™ af ter the lesßonß commenced, when the? could count up the questions, and see which one won d reach them To do Miss West justice, she would have been shocked had Known all this ; but, strictly honourable herself, she had entire f^A^hafto'study pretty hard to keep up with her classes, and one day the recitation bell rang just as she closed her book The last question was, ' Who was Henry VIII.? 1 and the answer, A noble kTng who, seeing the errors of the Catholic Church, founded the Shur'ch of England.' Anna had read this over mechaxacally aud it was not until she was seated at her place in the class that the full Sificance flashed over her ; and then-oh, if the question came to her should she remain quiet and lose a mark, or should she speak Se'truth openly and fearlessly ? It seemed hours to her, though in reality it could have been only a few minutes, before she heard Miss West* clear voice reading the question to her. In an instant ehe knew what to do. Speaking with unusual distinctness, she rep1 ' A wicked, murderous king, who, because the Pope would not consent to his divorce, rebelled from the Holy Church and founded the Church of England.' Miss West gave her a cold glance. • Take your place at the foot of the class, Anna,' she said ; and understand that you have lost many marks by that answer. #Sd rShl'h^St sang joyously. ' I wont get the watch, and I am in disgrace, but I answered correctly. She certainly was in disgrace; though as time passed her amiability and docility went far to atone for what Miss West considered a fault, and even to make that lady think that there mfght be some good in a convent education. But early in May Anna found herself in another difficulty. The girls were forbidden to leave the schoolroom without permission. One hot afternoon, when Miss West had been called out of the room Ada got very thirsty ; the ice cooler at the end of the ehady vSanda looked very tempting, and Ada knew she could easily walk there and back before Miss West returned So out sheslipped, Tnd was safely seated at her desk, studying diligently when Miss West returned But, alas for Anna ! early in the day she had lent a Kkerchief to Ada who had forgotten hers. This handkerchief SS dropped on her little excursion for the water Miss West knew that no handkerchief had been on the gallery when she first passed, and her face grew stern as she read Anna s name on it 'Did anyone leave the room in my absence?' she asked. Anna. dld 7 ™o, Miss West,' answered the girl, looking up with her honest blueeyes. me a deliberate un truth, Anna,' said the teacher ; ' and you shall remain an hour after school every day tor * We lnna was astonished. She knew nothing about the lost handkerchief • and, as her desk was at the other end of the room, she had not noticed when Ada left. But she knew that she was being

punished unjustly, and it took great self-control to keep from making an angry answer. So hard did Anna study in that quiet hour passed in the deserted schoolroom that she almost made up for her lost marks. And, then, a week's carelessness on Ada's part put them even again. The question was finally settled on the 17th of June. At the close of each school day the name of every girl was called, and she was expected to state if during the day she had broken the rule^>f silence. This duty was always performed not by Miss West, but by a meek little French teacher, who often remonstrated with the girls, but was powerless to prevent them from talking as soon as their names had been called. On this particular day the pupils were very noisy : they laughed, talked, giggled, sang. So great was the confusion that Anna thought the bell had rung, and turned to speak to her desk-mate ; while Mademoiselle, unnoticed, sent one of the small children to tell Mies West that the girls were beyond her control. The sudden quiet that came over the school when Miss Weßt opened the door was astonishing. Quick as thought every girl went to her desk ; and, though Miss West rapped with her pencil to attract attention, it was perfectly unnecessary ; for every eye was upon her, and every girl was wondering if she had been seen. It was lucky for them, they thought, that the principal was near-sighted. MiBS West then remarked that she was sorry that the girls were not so well-behaved in her absence as when she was present. . ' And now,' she said, ' I want every girl who spoke during roll call to stand up.' , ' It is my" last chance for the watch, but of course I must do it, said Anna to herself, and she rose. But imagine her surprise when she found that Bhe stood alone ! Her eyes filled with tears as she looked at Miss West, but that lady's astonishment was unbounded. ' It is impOßßible,' she said, ' that Anna alone could have made all that noise.' Still the girls were immovable, eaoh one hoping that her neighbour would rise. Anna stood for fully five minutes, and then Miss West said : ' You may go home, and Mademoiselle will give me the names of the girls who are so unwilling to admit their fault.' ' All the others did talk, indeed,' said Mademoiselle. 'In the whole school, not one young lady did keep her place.' I do not think that any of those girls will ever forget the solemn little lecture that Miss West gave them. And I know that only Anna was surprised when, on the final day of the term, Miaa West placed the watch in her hands and said : I 1 think this prize is fully deserved by the little Catholic girl, who has not only been studious and amiable, but truthful and courageous ; and who also bore patiently the punishment deserved by another. Some of the girls have enlightened me, my dear, aa to the reason why your handkerchief was found on the gallery the day you did nob leave the room ; and I can only add that I give you this watoh with an apology, as well as with my respect and love. R.A.H., in the Am Maria.