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own, a portion of the principal must be withdrawn.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, informing her that, owing to their
own early friendship, she would be most happy to fill a mother's place
to me, so long as I should wish to remain at school. I should have been
much elated at the proposed journey had it not been for the thought of
leaving my mother, who had ever been my confidant and adviser. My mother
also felt keenly the coming departure, although she strove to conceal
her feelings as much as possible. I strongly objected to leaving her
alone, but we had as yet been unable to devise any plan to avoid so
doing. My mother would have rented a portion of our dwelling, but it was
not adapted for the convenience of two families, neither could she
endure the disquiet of keeping boarders.
"Clara," said my mother one day, as we sat at work, "I think I will send
for Aunt Patience to come and stay with me during your absence."
She laughed outright at the look of dismay with which I regarded her,
occasioned by the recollection which I retained of a visit she paid us
when I was eight years of age. She was a maiden lady somewhat advanced
in years, possessed of a very kind heart and many excellent qualities;
but the name of Patience seemed to me a misapplication in her case, for
she certainly possessed but a small quantity of that valuable article.
Early in life she had passed through many trials, which might have
tended to sour her disposition. I remember that during the visit
referred to, my mother had occasion to spend a day from home, leaving me
in care of Aunt Patience. It seemed a very long day to me. Like all
children, I was restless and troublesome, and to one unaccustomed to the
care of children it was doubtless very annoying. During the day I
received a severe box on the ear from Aunt Patience, for saying to her
in an outburst of childish anger, when provoked by her continued
fault-finding,
"I don't know what makes them call you Aunt Patience, for you scold all
the time."
She informed my mother of it upon her return, and she gave me a reproof
for allowing myself to speak disrespectfully to my relative; although,
while listening to the relation of the difficulty by Aunt Patience, she
found it extremely difficult to repress a smile. However, my mother both
loved and respected her, and thought she could live very comfortably
with her during my absence; indeed my mother thought her quite a
desirable companion, for, setting aside her irritability at petty
annoyances, she was a woman of good sense, and was well informed upon
most subjects, so I gladly joined in the invitation which my mother sent
her, to come and make our house her home for an indefinite period. As
she lived only a day's journey by railway from Philadelphia, she arrived
a week before I left home. She did not like the idea of my mother
spending so much money in sending me to school. To all of her remarks
upon the subject my mother replied pleasantly, for she was her own aunt,
and she would not treat her with disrespect. During the few days I
remained at home after her arrival, I formed a much more favorable
opinion of Aunt Patience than I had done during her visit in the days of
my childhood; and when I observed how kind she was to my mother I found
it easy to love her.
I felt very sad the morning I bade adieu to my mother and Aunt
Patience, to go into the world alone. My mother had before given me many
kind counsels regarding my future conduct, now she only said, as she
embraced me at parting, "My dear daughter, I trust you will improve your
time and talents, and conduct yourself in a manner that will not
disappoint your mother." As Aunt Patience bade me good-bye, she said,
with a countenance of much solemnity, "You must remember, Clara, all the
advice I have given you." Sad as I felt, I could not repress a smile,
for during the past week her advices regarding my future conduct had
been so numerous, that it would have required a memory more retentive
than mine to have remembered them all; but I knew they were intended for
my good, and I readily promised to try and observe them. I wish not to
weary the reader by giving a detailed account of my journey. I arrived
safely at my destination, and met with a very cordial welcome at the
house of Mrs. Armitage, my mother's friend; two days later I became a
member of the celebrated school for young ladies, taught at that time by
Mrs. Wentworth, aided by competent assistance.
Mrs. Wentworth was a widow lady, of superior education and noble mind.
I spent four happy years in this institution, having visited my mother
but once during the time. It was very pleasant for me to find myself
once more at home, with the opportunity for rest and relaxation, after
four years, application to books. During my absence, my mother and Aunt
Patience had lived very quietly, they saw but little company, and were
much occupied with their needles as a means of support. During the first
three years of my absence my mother enjoyed good health, but, during my
last year at school, she was visited by a long and painful illness,
through which she was attended, with the utmost kindness and attention,
by her aunt; my mother being unwilling to recall me from school, if it
were possible to avoid it; and she had been obliged, on account of her
illness, to withdraw most of the sum remaining in the Savings' Bank. On
my return home I found her enjoying a tolerable degree of health, but I
feared that such close application to her needle had been too much for
one whose constitution was naturally delicate. She seemed like one weary
both in mind and body. After my arrival, however, she seemed to regain
her usual cheerfulness, and in a short time seemed quite herself again.
It was now I felt it my duty to turn the education which my mother had
been at so much pains to give me to account by teaching, in order to
assist her, and also to obtain a support for myself. We had decided to
offer Aunt Patience a home for the remainder of her life, indeed I felt
that I owed her a debt of gratitude for her past kindness to my mother.
We therefore told her that so long as we possessed a home, we would
gladly share it with her, provided she felt contented to remain with us.
She at first demurred a little, as she was aware that our means were
limited; but when my mother told her that she would not know what to do
without her, it seemed to set her mind at rest, and she gladly assented
to our proposal, and it was settled that for the future her home was to
be with us.
I had as yet settled upon no definite plan in regard to teaching. My
mother wished me to apply for the situation of governess in a family, as
she thought that position would command a higher salary, and would prove
less laborious than a situation in a school. About this time we noticed
in a daily paper an advertisement for a governess, wanted in the family
of a Mr. Leighton, residing in the suburbs of the city; the salary
offered was liberal, and I thought, with my mother, that I had best
apply for the situation.