endeavoured to overcome my reluctance, and assisted my mother in her
preparations for entering me as a pupil at the beginning of the ensuing
term.

It was with a feeling of timidity that I accompanied my mother through
several streets to the school taught by Miss Edmonds. My mother
accompanied me to relieve me from any awkwardness I might feel in
presenting myself for admission. It was a select school for girls. As my
education had thus far been entirely conducted by my mother, I had of
course, never been subjected to the rules of a school-room; and I must
confess that I had formed an idea of school teachers in general that was
not at all flattering. I fancied them all to be old, sour and cross--a
mere walking bundle of rules and regulations, and I was quite unprepared
to see the sweet-looking young lady who answered to my mother's summons
at the door. Surely, thought I, this young lady cannot be Miss Edmonds;
and when my mother enquired if such were her name and she replied in the
affirmative, I thought going to school might not be so bad after all.
After giving Miss Edmonds my name and age, my mother held some
conversation with her regarding my studies, and left me with an
encouraging smile. I felt all my timidity return when I thought of
entering the school-room with Miss Edmonds, but her kind and friendly
manner reassured me. The school consisted of about thirty girls, many of
them older than myself. I had feared that my attainments would be
inferior to those of the youngest of the pupils, and I was equally
pleased and surprised when Miss Edmonds, after a long and careful
examination in regard to my acquirements, placed me in one of the higher
classes. There was to me an irresistible attraction in the countenance
and manner of my teacher; and, from the first moment I saw her I loved
her. Although her home is now far distant from mine, and we have not met
for many years, I love her as dearly now as when she took me by the hand