orie's desk.

The first class numbered thirty. Clarissa Parks was the beauty of the
class, Emma Downs the poet, Lizzie Harrowgate the mathematician, Maggie
Peet the pet, Ella Truman wrote the finest hand, Maria Denyse was the
elocutionist, Pauline Hayes the one most at home in universal history,
Marjorie West did not know what she was: the remaining twenty-two were in
no wise remarkable; one or two were undeniably dull, more were careless,
and most came to school because it was the fashion and they must do
something before they were fully grown up.

At each recitation the student who had reached the head of the class was
marked "head" and took her place in the next recitation at the foot.
During the first hour and a half there were four recitations--history,
astronomy, chemistry, and English literature. That morning Marjorie, who
did not know what she was in the class, went from the foot through the
class, to the head three times; it would have been four times but she
gave the preference to Pauline Hayes who had written the correct date
half a second after her own was on the slate. "Miss Hayes writes more
slowly than I," she told Master McCosh. "She was as sure of it as I was."

The replies in every recitation were written upon the slate; there was no
cheating, every slate was before the eyes of its neighbor, every word
must be exact.

"READING MAKES A FULL MAN, CONFERENCE A READY MAN, WRITING AN EXACT MAN,"
was one of the wall mottoes.

Marjorie had an amusing incident to relate to Miss Prudence about her
first recitation in history. The question was: "What general reigned at
this time?" The name of no general occurred. Marjorie was nonplussed.
Pencils were rapidly in motion around her. "Confusion" read the head
girl. Then to her chagrin Marjorie recalled the words in the lesson:
"General confusion reigned at this time."

It was one of the master's "catches". She found that he had an abundant
supply.

Another thing that morning reminded her of that mysterious "vibgyor" of
the old times.

Master McCosh told them they could _clasp_ Alexander's generals; then
Pauline Hayes gave their names--Cassander, Lysimachus, Antiognus,
Seleucus and Ptolemy. Marjorie had that to tell Miss Prudence. Miss
Prudence lived through her own school days that winter with Marjorie; the
girl's enthusiasm reminded her of her own. Master McCosh, who never
avoided personalities, observed as he marked the last recitation:

"Miss West stud