in the eyes, and said
nothing. Then Miss Preston's eyes began to smile, and her mouth followed
their example, and, placing one finger under Toinette's chin, she said:

"I am forced to admit that it was one of the funniest things I've ever
seen, and extremely well done, but it scared Mrs. Stone nearly to death;
so, please, don't favor us with the second act."

And that was the only allusion ever made by Miss Preston to the midnight
ramble, nor was it ever repeated for Mrs. Stone's benefit, although
nothing could ever have persuaded the good lady that she had been the
victim of a hoax that night.

It would have been difficult to find a more consummate teacher than Miss
Preston, or one who, without their ever suspecting it, could so bring her
girls up to the mark. It was a rare exception when she failed to
accomplish her aim, and her tact was truly wonderful. There was rarely a
harsh word spoken, although Miss Preston could speak sharply enough when
occasion required. But she seldom felt that it did. She had most unique
methods, and they proved wonderfully successful. Then, too, some very
old-fashioned ideas were firmly imbedded in her mind, which in the present
day and age are often forgotten. That bad spelling is a disgrace to any
girl was one of these, and most nobly did she labor to make such a
disgrace impossible for any of her girls.

Knowing how cordially human nature detests doing the very thing best for
it, she never had regular spelling lessons in the school, but twice a week
every girl in it, big and little alike, gathered in the large assembly
room to choose sides and spell each other down. So irresistibly funny were
these spelling matches, and so admirably did they display Miss Preston's
peculiar power over the girls, and their response to her wonderful
magnetism, that I think they deserve a chapter to themselves.

CHAPTER XIII

ENGLISH AS SHE IS SPELLED

The last half hour before recess on Wednesdays and Fridays was the time
set aside for the spelling matches. On Wednesday the words were chosen at
random, sometimes from history, sometimes from geography, again from
something which the classes had been reading; but Friday's words were
invariably a surprise.

One morning, immediately after the opening exercises were concluded, Miss
Preston rang her bell, and, when the girls were all attention, said:

"It will be well for those girls who are to lead the opposing sides of the
spelling match to-d