er dance a hornpipe on me if she wanted to."

It was not to be expected that all the other teachers would display such
remarkable tact as their principal, but her example went a long way.
Moreover, she was very careful in the choice of those in whose care her
girls were to be given, and often said: "Neither schools nor colleges make
teachers: it is God first, and mothers afterward." And she was not far
wrong, for God must put love into the human heart, and mothers must shape
the character. When I see a child playing with her dollies, I can form a
pretty shrewd guess of the manner of woman that child's mother is.

Frolics and pranks of all sorts were by no means unknown in the school,
and often they were funny enough, but what Miss Preston did not know about
those frolics was not worth knowing. Her instructions to her teachers
were: "Don't see _too much_. Unless there is danger of flood or fire,
appendicitis or pneumonia, be blind."

Many of the girls had their own ponies and carriages, and drove about the
beautiful suburbs of Montcliff. If the boys chose to hop up behind a trap
and drive along, too, where was the harm? The very fact that it need not
be concealed made it a matter of course. Friday evenings were always ones
of exceptional liberty. Callers of both sexes came, and the girls danced,
had candy pulls, or any sort of impromptu fun. Once a year, usually in
February, a dance was given, which was, of course, _the_ event of the
season.

During the week the girls kept early hours, and at nine-thirty the house
was, as a rule, en route for the "Land o' Nod," but exceptions came to
prove the rule, and nothing was more liable to cause one than the arrival
of a box from home. Upon such occasions the "fire, flood, appendicitis and
pneumonia" hint held good.

CHAPTER VII

THE P. U. L.

"What upon earth are you doing!" exclaimed Toinette, as she opened Ruth's
door, in response to the "come in" which followed her knock, and stood
transfixed upon the threshold at the spectacle she beheld.

"Cleaning house, to be sure. Didn't you ever do it?"

"Well, not exactly that way," was Toinette's reply.

Ruth threw back her head and gave a merry peal of laughter.

"It _is_ rather a novel way, I will admit, but, you see, I hate to do
things just exactly as everybody else does, so I sailed right in, head
over ears. To tell the truth, now I'm in, I wish it wasn't _quite_ so
deep," and Ruth cast a look strongly savoring