d the mid-year
examinations before the Christmas holidays, early in December, so that
the teachers and the girls might enjoy their holidays without the
shadow of that depressing necessity hanging over them, and so that they
might apply themselves to the preparation for them while they were
still in the habit of studying. Miss Leland held the opinion that
after the gay indolence of the holiday season, and when the girls were
still in the state of homesickness and lassitude following their return
to school, they were much less interested in making good marks, and
much less capable of applying themselves.

Thus, the first week of a snowy December found the entire school in
that state of tension which seizes any body of young people when a
hostile body of older people is bent upon finding out how much they
know.

"History from nine to twelve to-morrow," groaned Charlotte. "I've
reread the whole volume. I've crammed dates until I don't know whether
Columbus discovered America in 1492 or 1776. I've 'rastled' with Free
Silver, and I haven't the faintest notion what the trouble was about.
A long, long time ago I knew whether Maryland was a Charter colony or
not, but now I never expect to know again. I could write everything I
know about this great and glorious country in two minutes, and it would
be quite wrong at that, and the thought that we are expected to know
enough to require three solid hours for writing it out is driving me
rapidly into a state of chronic melancholia."

"What happened in 1812, Charlotte?" demanded Nancy in a dazed voice.
"Something happened then, but I don't know what."

"Why, that was the year that Washington said 'Beyond the Alps lies
Italy.' Which was quite true. And even if he didn't say it then, it
would have been true, so you can't go far wrong there," replied
Charlotte. "Nancy, kindly fold up your book. I am going to flunk, and
I won't have you pass. If you try to study any more I'm going to sing
the Marseillaise at the top of my voice."

"I think I _will_ stop. I really do know my history, but I'm
forgetting it the more I try to study."

After dinner that night, the living-room was empty during the usual
hour for recreation, nearly all the girls having gone to their room
either to study, or simply as a matter of form, since it was considered
highly undiplomatic, to say the least, to appear as if you were so sure
of the outcome of your examinations that you felt privileged to ta