nstruction embraces three years, and
three classes, Junior, Middle, and Senior. Rose, who had been much
flattered on account of her scholarship, confidently expected to enter
the Middle class. Jenny, too, had the same desire, though she
confessed to some misgivings concerning her knowledge of a goodly
number of the necessary branches. Ida was really an excellent scholar,
and was prepared to enter the Senior class, while Mary aspired to
nothing higher, than admission into the Junior. She was therefore
greatly surprised, when Aunt Martha, after questioning her as to what
she had studied, proposed that she should be examined for the Middle
class.

"Oh, no," said Mary quickly, "I should fail, and I wouldn't do that
for the world."

"Have you ever studied Latin?" asked Aunt Martha.

Before Mary could reply, Rose exclaimed, "_She_ study Latin! How
absurd! Why, she was never away to school in her life."

Aunt Martha silenced her with a peculiar look, while Mary answered,
that for more than two years, she had been reading Latin under Mrs.
Mason's instruction.

"And you could not have a better teacher," said Aunt Martha. "So try
it by all means."

"Yes, do try," said Ida and Jenny, in the same breath; and after a
time, Mary rather reluctantly consented.

"I'll warrant she intends to sit by us, so we can tell her every
other word," muttered Rose to Jenny, but when the trial came she
thought differently.

It would be wearisome to give the examination in detail, so we will
only say, that at its close, Rose Lincoln heard with shame and
confusion, that she could only be admitted into the Junior Class, her
examination having proved a very unsatisfactory one. Poor Jenny, too,
who had stumbled over almost every thing, shared the same fate, while
Mary, expecting nothing, and hoping nothing, burst into tears when
told that she had acquitted herself creditably, in all the branches
requisite for an admission into the Middle class.

"Mrs. Mason will be so glad, and Billy, too," was her first thought;
and then, as she saw how disappointed Jenny looked, she seized the
first opportunity to throw her arms around her neck, and whisper to
her how sorry she was that she had failed.

Jenny, however, was of too happy a temperament to remain sad for a
long time, and before night her loud, merry laugh had more than once
rang out in the upper hall, causing even Miss Lyon to listen, it was
so clear and joyous. That afternoon, Aunt Martha, w