It was to keep a school_. This strange ambition, she
tells us in her autobiography, she feared to impart to her companions,
lest they should laugh at her; and she thought even her parents would
think her _arrogant_ if she mentioned it to them. The long-cherished
secret was revealed to her parents at length. Her mother had guessed it
before, but her father was exceedingly surprised. Neither of them,
however, made any objection, and one of the pleasantest apartments of
their house was fitted up for the reception of pupils. She was then a
delicate-looking girl of about eighteen, and rather undersized. As soon
as her desks were brought home by the carpenter, the ambitious little
lady went around to the families of the place, informed them of her
intention, and solicited their patronage at the established rate of
three dollars a quarter for each pupil. She was puzzled and disappointed
at the coolness with which her project was received. Day after day she
tramped the streets of Norwich, only to return at night without a name
upon her catalogue. She surmised, after a time, that parents hesitated
to intrust their children to her because of her extreme youth, which was
the fact. At length, however, she began her school with two children,
nine and eleven years of age, and not only did she go through all the
formalities of school with them, working six hours a day for five days,
and three hours on Saturday, but at the end of the term she held an
examination in the presence of a large circle of her pupils' admiring
relations.

Afterwards, associating herself with another young lady, to whom she was
tenderly attached, she succeeded better. A large and populous school
gathered about these zealous and admirable girls, several of their
pupils being older than themselves. Compelled to hold the school in a
larger room, Lydia Huntley walked two miles every morning, and two more
every night, besides working hard all day; and she was as happy as the
weeks were long. Her experience confirms that of every genuine
teacher--from Dr. Arnold downward--that, of all employments of man or
woman on this earth, the one that is capable of giving the most constant
and intense happiness is teaching in a rationally conducted school. So
fond was she of teaching, that when the severity of the Winter obliged
her to suspend the school for many weeks, she opened a free school for
poor children, one of her favorite classes in which was composed of
colored girls