ol, differing therefore from the boys' school, which was only
preparatory for other and higher education, it had been decided to
change the graduating exercises to the four best essays, read by their
writers, an address by some distinguished orator, music, and the
giving of diplomas.

All the graduating class were expected to write an essay, the Faculty
to judge of their merits, and to choose from among them four of the
best.

Not only the interest of the class, but of the whole school, was
intense on the writing of these essays. The literary merit of the
teaching was to be shown by them; and as no graduating class ever
comes to its commencement without pride in, and love for its _alma
mater_, so it seemed as if the future reputation of the academy must
depend upon the way this class acquitted itself.

If it had been a boys' school, bets would have run high on the
supposed best writers; here there was nothing of the kind, only those
who had done well whenever compositions had been read to the school
were chosen as girls of especial interest, watched, _feted_, praised,
encouraged, in short, prematurely made heroines of.

Among the most conspicuous was Susan Downer. Though so little had been
said of late of her success in writing "Storied West Rock," it was now
recalled; and, as the weeks flew by before commencement, she was
daily, sometimes it seemed to her hourly, reminded of it, and
importuned to be sure and do as well now.

Poor Susan! She knew how really unable she would be to do anything
that would compare with it. Over and over again she made the attempt;
but as writing was not one of her natural gifts, and as now, whenever
she tried even to choose a subject, the theft came up before her, and
she went through the whole, from the first temptation to the last
crowned success, she could think of nothing else but the inevitable
punishment that somewhere and at some time was waiting for her.

There was but one hope she thought left for her, to see her brother
Jerry, and tease him into giving her one of his essays, that she might
use it as it was if possible, if not, with alterations that would make
it suit the occasion. She would tell him that she only wanted to read
it and get some hints from it, and once in her possession, she could
do as she pleased.

When she received his note refusing her invitation to come to the
academy, her disappointment and her helplessness may be readily
imagined, for she had allowed