e fell asleep,
in the new world of school life, it was in your arms. Put them round me,
Gloria, and let me fall asleep."
I placed my arm gently, very gently, under her head, and then sat very
still.
I heard the big clock in the clock-tower slowly and distinctly strike
the hour of twelve, I saw the pale lips move and heard them murmur:
"Agnus Dei, qui tollis peccata mundi, miserere mei."
But save for this, all was silence! And in the silence Princess Nadine
slept.
MY YEAR AT SCHOOL.
BY MARGARET WATSON.
I was rather old to start out as a school-girl, for I was seventeen, and
had never been to school before.
We lived in the heart of the country, and my education had been rather
casual--broken into now for a day's work, and now for a day's play, now
for visitors staying in the house, now for a visit to friends or
relations; as is the way when you are one of a large family, and do your
lessons at home--especially if your tastes lie rather in the line of
doing than thinking.
I did not love books. I loved gardening and riding the pony, and making
cakes, and minding the baby. My sisters were much cleverer than I, and I
had never believed it possible that I could excel in anything requiring
study, so I satisfied myself with being rather clever with my hands.
However, I didn't really mind work of any kind, and I worked at my
lessons when I _was_ at them, though I was always ready enough to throw
them aside for anything else that might turn up. When my mother said I
must go away to a good school for a year I was quite willing. I always
loved a change.
The school chosen was a London High School, and I was to board with some
people we knew. They had no connection with the school, so I was thrown
pretty much on my own resources, and had to find my way about for
myself.
I had to go up first for the entrance exam., and I shall never forget my
feelings that day. The headmistress had a sharp, quick manner, and I
thought she set me down as very stupid for my age. I was put in a room
with a lot of girls, mostly younger than myself, and given a set of
exam. papers to do. The way the questions were put was new to me, I was
nervous and worried, but I worked on doggedly with the courage of
despair, certain that I was showing appalling ignorance for a girl of
seventeen, and that I should be placed in a form with the babies.
Two very pretty girls were working beside me. They had curly black hair,
and bright c
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