WHEREIN THE LATTER IS AT LAST CONVINCED OF HER OWN FOLLY IN BEING SO
QUARRELSOME; AND, BY HER EXAMPLE, ALL HER COMPANIONS ARE BROUGHT TO SEE
AND CONFESS THEIR FAULT.
The next morning Miss Jenny Peace used her utmost endeavours to bring
her schoolfellows to be heartily reconciled, but in vain: for each
insisted on it, that she was not to blame; but that the whole quarrel
arose from the faults of others. At last ensued the following dialogue
between Miss Jenny Peace and Miss Sukey Jennett, which brought about
Miss Jenny’s designs; and which we recommend to the consideration of all
our young readers.
MISS JENNY. Now pray, Miss Sukey, tell me, what did you get by your
contention and quarrel about that foolish apple?
MISS SUKEY. Indeed, ma’am, I shall not answer you; I know that you only
want to prove, that you are wiser than I, because you are older. But I
don’t know but some people may understand as much at eleven years old as
others at thirteen: but, because you are the oldest in the school, you
always want to be tutoring and governing. I don’t like to have more than
one governess; and if I obey my mistress, I think that is enough.
MISS JENNY. Indeed, my dear, I don’t want to govern you, nor to prove
myself wiser than you; I only want that instead of quarrelling, and
making yourself miserable, you should live at peace and be happy.
Therefore, pray do answer my question, whether you get anything by your
quarrel?
MISS SUKEY. No I cannot say I got anything by it: for my mistress was
angry, and punished me; and my hair was pulled off, and my clothes torn
in the scuffle; neither did I value the apple; but yet I have too much
spirit to be imposed on. I am sure I had as good a right to it as any of
the others; and I would not give up my right to anyone.
MISS JENNY. But don’t you know, Miss Sukey, it would have shown much
more spirit to have yielded the apple to another, than to have fought
about it? Then indeed you would have proved your sense; for you would
have shown, that you had too much understanding to fight about a trifle.
Then your clothes had been whole, your hair not torn from your head,
your mistress had not been angry, nor had your fruit been taken away
from you.
MISS SUKEY. And so, miss, you would fain prove, that it is wisest to
submit to everybody that would impose upon one? But I will not believe
ii, say what you will.
MISS JENNY. But is not what I say true? If you had not been in the
battle, would not your clothes have been whole, your hair not torn, your
mistress pleased with you, and the apples your own?
Here Miss Sukey paused for some time: for as Miss Jenny was in the right
and had truth on her side, it was difficult for Miss Sukey to know what
to answer. For it is impossible, without being very silly, to contradict
truth; and yet Miss Sukey was so foolish, that she did not care to own
herself in the wrong; though nothing could have been so great a sign of
her understanding.
When Miss Jenny saw her thus at a loss for an answer, she was in hopes
of making her companion happy; for, as she had as much good nature as
understanding, that was her design. She therefore pursued her discourse
in the following manner:
MISS JENNY. Pray, Miss Sukey, do answer me one question more. Don’t you
lie awake at nights, and fret and vex yourself, because you are angry
with your school-fellows? Are not you restless and uneasy, because you
cannot find a safe method to be revenged on them, without being punished
yourself? Do tell me truly, is not this your case?
MISS SUKEY. Yes it is. For if I could but hurt my enemies, without
being hurt myself, it would be the greatest pleasure I could have in the
world.
MISS JENNY. Oh fie, Miss Sukey! What you have now said is wicked. Don’t
you consider what you say every day in your prayers’? And this way of
thinking will make you lead a very uneasy life. If you would hearken to
me, I could put you into a method of being very happy, and making all
those misses you call your enemies, become your friends.
MISS SUKEY. You could tell me a method, miss? Do you think I don’t know
as well as you what is fit to be done? I believe I am as capable of
finding the way to be happy, as you are of teaching me.
Here Miss Sukey burst into tears, that anybody should presume to tell
her the way to be happy.
MISS JENNY. Upon my word, my dear, I don’t mean to vex you; but only,
instead of tormenting yourself all night in laying plots to revenge
yourself, I would have you employ this one night in thinking of what I
have said. Nothing will show your sense so much, as to own that you have
been in the wrong. Nor will anything prove a right spirit so much as
to confess your fault. All the misses will be your friends, and perhaps
follow your example. Then you will have the pleasure of having caused
the quiet of the whole school; your governess will love you; and you
will be at peace in your mind, and never have any more foolish quarrels,
in which you all get nothing but blows and uneasiness.
Miss Sukey began now to find, that Miss Jenny was in the right, and she
herself in the wrong; but yet she was so proud she would not own it.
Nothing could be so foolish as this pride; because it would have been
both good and wise in her to confess the truth the moment she saw it.
However, Miss Jenny was so discreet as not to press her any farther that
night; but begged her to consider seriously on what she had said, and to
let her know her thoughts the next morning and then left her.
When Miss Sukey was alone she stood some time in great confusion. She
could not help seeing how much hitherto she had been in the wrong; and
that thought stung her to the heart. She cried, stamped, and was in as
great an agony as if some sad misfortune had befallen her. At last, when
she had somewhat vented her passion by tears, she burst forth into the
following speech:
‘It is very true what Miss Jenny Peace says; for I am always uneasy. I
don’t sleep in quiet because I am always thinking, either that I have
not my share of what is given us, or that I cannot be revenged on any of
the girls that offend me. And when I quarrel with them, I am scratched
and bruised; or reproached. And what do I get by all this? Why, I
scratch, bruise, and reproach them in my turn. Is not that gain enough?
I warrant I hurt them as much as they hurt me. But then indeed, as Miss
Jenny says, if I could make these girls my friends, and did not wish
to hurt them, I certainly might live a quieter, and perhaps a happier,
life. But what then, have I been always in the wrong all my lifetime?
for I always quarrelled and hated everyone who had offended me. Oh! I
cannot bear that thought! It is enough to make me mad! when I imagined
myself so wise and so sensible, to find out that I have been always a
fool. If I think a moment longer about it, I shall die with grief and
shame. I must think myself in the right; and I will too. But, as Miss
Jenny says, I really am unhappy; for I hate all my schoolfellows; and
yet I dare not do them any mischief; for my mistress will punish me
severely if I do. I should not so much mind that neither; but then those
I intend to hurt will triumph over me, to see me punished for their
sakes. In short, the more I reflect, the more I am afraid Miss Jenny is
in the right; and yet it breaks my heart to think so.’
Here the poor girl wept so bitterly, and was so heartily grieved, that
she could not utter one word more; but sat herself down, reclining her
head upon her hand, in the most melancholy posture that could be; nor
could she close her eyes all night, but lay tossing and raving with the
thought how she should act, and what she should say to Miss Jenny the
next day.
When the morning came, Miss Sukey dreaded every moment, as the time drew
nearer when she must meet Miss Jenny. She knew it would not be possible
to resist her arguments; and yet shame for having been in fault overcame
her.
As soon as Miss Jenny saw Miss Sukey with her eyes cast down, and
confessing, by a look of sorrow, that she would take her advice, she
embraced her kindly; and, without giving her the trouble to speak, took
it for granted, that she would leave off quarreling, be reconciled to
her schoolfellows, and make herself happy.
Miss Sukey did indeed stammer out some words, which implied a confession
of her fault; but they were spoke so low they could hardly be heard;
only Miss Jenny, who always chose to look at the fairest side of
her companions’ actions, by Miss Sukey’s look and manner guessed her
meaning.
In the same manner did this good girl, Jenny, persuade, one by one, all
her schoolfellows to be reconciled to each with sincerity and love.
Miss Dolly Friendly, who had too much sense to engage the battle for
the sake of an apple, and who was provoked to strike a blow only for
friendship’s sake, easily saw the truth of what Miss Jenny said; and was
therefore presently convinced, that the best part she could have acted
for her friend, would have been to have withdrawn her from the scuffle.