to their rooms, though, if she had
only known it, to discuss with even more excitement than they had
shown to her the dreadful possibilities before them.

One girl actually stole out at midnight and, hurrying through the cold
and darkness, went to the house of a cousin who lived near by, waking
and alarming the family in a way that they found hard to forgive, and
taking by this exposure so severe a cold that, serious lung symptoms
developing, she was sent home, and her academical course ended. The
next morning when the school gathered in the chapel, they found Dr.
Dawson on the stage.

After the preliminary exercises were over, he rose, and said,--

"Young ladies, I understand you have taken fright on account of the
case of diphtheria that is occurring here. I am an old man, as you
see, and have had a hundred, perhaps five hundred cases as like this
as two peas in a pod." (He stopped, expecting a smile at least for his
homely comparison, but every face was as sober as if he had come to
sound a death-knell.) "Miss Blair _is_ sick, I might say is _very_
sick, but I am not in the least anxious about her, or about any of
you. Under ordinary circumstances, and I consider these very ordinary,
I think there is not any probability of another case in the house.

"Take an old physician's advice. Stay where you are, go promptly and
faithfully about your regular duties, don't mention the word
diphtheria, and don't think of it. If I were a life-insurance agent, I
would insure those of you who obeyed my injunctions for half the
premium that I would those who worry over this, or run away. Again I
say, go faithfully about your ordinary duties, and all of you"
(dropping his voice into solemn tones now) "ask God to be with and
protect you, and restore to you your sick companion."

Then he took up his hat and marched down through the long,
girl-bordered aisle, smiling and nodding to those he knew as he went.

On the whole, his speech did little to allay the panic. He had not
only allowed that Nellie was _very_ sick, but he had talked about
"life-insurance," and asking God for protection. Qualms of fear
followed him as he went. Miss Ashton understood the assembly better
than the wise physician, and before he had closed the door she
regretted that she had asked him to address them.

One part of his advice, however, was sound; that regarding to the
scholars at once resuming their work, and putting diphtheria out of
conversation and m