his examination; but nothing short of real and absolute sickness can
excuse a scholar in the eyes of Mrs. W. Even that will not do in the
Trojan world around us; for if a young lady is ill at examination,
they say with a sneer, 'O, she is ill of an examination fever!' Thus
you see, mamma, we have no mercy either from friends or foes. We must
'do or die.' Tell Morris he must write to me. Kiss dear, dear little
Margaret for me, and don't let her forget poor sister Luly; and tell
all who inquire for me that I am well, but in awful dread of a great
examination."

She was interrupted, in her course of preparation for the examination,
by an illness so serious as to require the attendance of a physician.
But no sooner was she convalescent than she was suffered to renew her
suicidal course. "I shall rise between two and four now every morning,
till the dreaded day is past. I rose the other night at twelve, but
was ordered back to bed again. You see, mamma, I shall have a chance
to become an early riser here." "Had I not written you that I was
coming home, I think I should not have seen you this winter. All my
friends think I had better remain here, as the journey will be long
and cold; but O, there is at that journey's end, which would tempt me
through the wilds of Siberia--father, mother, brothers, sisters,
_home_. Yes, I shall come." "The dreaded examination is now going on,
my dear mother. To-morrow evening, which will be the last, is always
the most crowded, and is the time fixed upon for my _entree_ upon the
field of action. O, I hope I shall not disgrace myself. It is the rule
here to reserve the best classes till the last; so I suppose I may
take it as a compliment that we are delayed." "The examination is
over. E. did herself and her native village honor; but as for your
poor Luly, she acquitted herself, I trust, decently. O mamma, I was so
frightened! But although my face glowed and my voice trembled, I did
make out to get through, for I knew my lessons. The room was crowded
to suffocation. All was still; the fall of a pin could have been
heard; and I tremble when I think of it even now."

The expected visit to her home was relinquished, and she passed the
vacation with her friends in the vicinity of Troy. An incident which
occurred as she was crossing the Hudson on her return to Troy, is thus
described: "Uncle went to the ferry with me, where we met Mr. P. Uncle
placed me under his care, and, snugly seated by his sid