But Jessie had long since torn up her school-books into curl-papers, and, as learning accumulated outside her head, it vanished from the interior.

When she declared that arithmetic was all but a mystery to her, and that she had forgotten what French she ever knew, there was an unprecedented outbreak of parental wrath: this was the result of all that had been spent on her education! She must get it back as best she could, for, as sure as fate, she should be packed off as a governess.

Look at Emily Hood: why, that girl was keeping herself, and, most likely, paying her mother's butcher's bill into the bargain, and her advantages had been fewer than Jessie's.

After storms beyond description, Jessie did what her mother called 'buckle to,' but progress was slight.

'You must get Emily Hood to help you when she comes home for her holidays,' was Mrs.Cartwright's hopeful suggestion one night that the girl had fairly broken down and given way to sobs and tears.