e time been a
teacher when I became a member of her school. My mother happened to
mention to Miss Edmonds one day her regret that I was unable to take
music-lessons, for want of opportunity for the needful practice, when
she informed my mother that she still retained her piano out of the
wreck of their former affluence, and that, if she wished me to take
lessons, I was at liberty to practice daily upon it. My mother accepted
for me the kind offer, and I at once began taking lessons. I remained
four years under the instruction of Miss Edmonds, with much profit to
myself. At the end of this time, Mr. Edmonds removed with his family to
the city of New York, having through the influence of friends, obtained
the situation of cashier in one of the banks in that city. It was a
severe trial for Miss Edmonds to resign the school where she was so much
beloved by her pupils; but she thought it her duty to accompany her
parents to their new home.

CHAPTER III.

CLARA AT MRS. WENTWORTH'S BOARDING SCHOOL.

As it was my mother's intention to give me a thoroughly good education,
she began, after the departure of Miss Edmonds, to consider the
propriety of sending me to a noted seminary for young ladies, about two
hundred miles from Philadelphia, as she learned from various sources of
the excellence of the institution. There was but one difficulty in the
way, and that was the money needful for defraying my expenses. At my
father's death, he left us the owners of the house we occupied, and a
sum of money, though not a large one, in the Savings' Bank. Up to the
time of which I speak, we had only drawn the annual interest of our
money, while the principal remained untouched, my mother having obtained
needle-work to eke out our small income; but, in order that I should
finish my education according to the wishes of my mother, as well as my
own, a portion of the principal must be withdrawn. After some reflection
upon the subject, my mother decided that a good education might prove of
more value to me than money, so a portion of the money was drawn, and we
began the preparations for my departure from home. It was the high
reputation which the school sustained that influenced my mother in her
decision to send me so far from home. There was a lady residing in the
near vicinity of the school who had been a loved school-mate of my
mother in their youthful days. My mother wrote to her upon the subject
and received a very friendly reply,