ed us much
amusement.

The young ladies sat down in rows on one side of the room. In the
centre, towards the end, was an easel, on which was placed a large black
board on which they worked with chalk the questions in algebra,
etcetera,--a towel hanging to it, that they might wipe out and correct.
The French preceptor, an old Emigre Count, sat down with the examiners
before the board, the visitors (chiefly composed of anxious papas and
mammas) being seated on benches behind them. As it happened, I had
taken my seat close to the examining board, and at some little distance
from the other persons who were deputed or invited to attend. I don't
knew how I came there. I believe I had come in too late; but there I
was, within three feet of every young lady who came up to the board.

"Now, messieurs, have the kindness to ask any question you please," said
the old Count. "Mademoiselle, you will have the goodness to step
forward." A question was proposed in English, which the young lady had
to write down in French. The very first went wrong: I perceived it, and
without looking at her, pronounced the right word, so that she could
hear it. She caught it, rubbed out the wrong word with the towel, and
rectified it. This was carried on through the whole sentence, and then
she retreated from the board that her work might be examined. "Very
well, very well, indeed, Miss, c'est parfaitement bien;" and the young
lady sat down blushing. Thus were they all called up, and one after
another prompted by me; and the old Count was delighted at the success
of his pupils.

Now, what amused me in this was the little bit of human nature; the
_tact_ displayed by the sex, which appears to be innate, and which never
deserts them. Had I prompted a boy, he would most likely have turned
his head round towards me, and thus have revealed what I was about; but
not one of the whole class was guilty of such indiscretion. They heard
me, rubbed out, corrected, waited for the word when they did not know
it, but never by any look or sign made it appear that there was any
understanding between us. Their eyes were constantly fixed on the
board, and they appeared not to know that I was in the room. It was
really beautiful. When the examination was over, I received a look from
them all, half comic, half serious, which amply repaid me for my
assistance.

As young ladies are assembled here from every State of the Union, it was
a _fair_ criterion of