had so much fun in her life. For the nonce, books and music were
forgotten. She was a smart little saleslady, succeeding in selling one
after the other, for ten dollars, hats which had cost Fanny not more
than two. But her coöperation was not to be for long. It was quite
decided that in the Fall she was to go to High School. This was her
mother's wish, and it had also been insisted upon by Fanny as a
condition of their taking the store. Virginia, at heart, was glad
enough to acquiesce. As they were too poor to keep a maid, she would
willingly have stayed at home and shouldered her share of the daily
toil, but an education meant a great deal to her, more than to most
girls, and she would have relinquished her schooling only with bitter
regret.

Autumn came with its cooler weather and longer evenings, and when High
School opened Virginia was sent to resume her studies, while her
sister and mother, busy in the store, exerted every effort to keep the
little household going. The younger girl felt keenly the sacrifice
they were making for her, and determined to prove worthy of it. She
began to apply herself more energetically than ever. A clever, brainy
girl, she was highly sensitive to every surrounding influence, with
ideas and ideals of her own, in full sympathy with the social side of
life, yet independent and self-reliant, and just beginning to choose
her own path in the bewildering maze of the world's devious
thoroughfare. In High School she made astonishing progress. Her fine
mentality enabled her to grasp quickly the most obtuse scientific and
economic problems, and her natural taste for _belles lettres_
making languages and general literature comparatively easy, she soon
distinguished herself above the other girls of her class. Especial
talent she showed for public speaking, having a good command of
English, with forcible delivery and sound logic. So successful,