e Doctor drove a lively five-year-old horse, and took the lead. The
Tutor followed with a quiet, steady-going nag; if he had driven the
five-year-old, I would not have answered for the necks of the pair in the
chaise, for he was too much taken up with the subject they were talking
of, to be very careful about his driving. The Mistress and her escort
brought up the rear,--I holding the reins, the Professor at my side, and
Number Seven sitting with the Mistress.

We arrived at the institution a little later than we had expected to, and
the students were flocking into the hall, where the Commencement
exercises were to take place, and the medal-scholars were to receive the
tokens of their excellence in the various departments. From our seats we
could see the greater part of the assembly,--not quite all, however of
the pupils. A pleasing sight it was to look upon, this array of young
ladies dressed in white, with their class badges, and with the ribbon of
the shade of blue affected by the scholars of the institution. If
Solomon in all his glory was not to be compared to a lily, a whole bed of
lilies could not be compared to this garden-bed of youthful womanhood.

The performances were very much the same as most of us have seen at the
academies and collegiate schools. Some of the graduating class read
their "compositions," one of which was a poem,--an echo of the prevailing
American echoes, of course, but prettily worded and intelligently read.
Then there was a song sung by a choir of the pupils, led by their
instructor, who was assisted by the Musician whom we count among The
Teacups.--There was something in one of the voices that reminded me of
one I had heard before. Where could it have been? I am sure I cannot
remember. There are some good voices in our village choir, but none so
pure and bird-like as this. A sudden thought came into my head, but I
kept it to myself. I heard a tremulous catching of the breath, something
like a sob, close by me. It was the Mistress,--she was crying. What was
she crying for? It was impressive, certainly, to listen to these young
voices, many of them blending for the last time,--for the scholars were
soon to be scattered all over the country, and some of them beyond its
boundaries,--but why the Mistress was so carried away, I did not know.
She must be more impressible than most of us; yet I thought Number Five
also looked as if she were having a struggle with herself to keep down
some rebell