e chapel, where a short religious
service was every morning conducted.

This was under Miss Ashton's special care, and she took great pains to
make it the keynote of the school-life for the day. So far in the
term, what she said had its bearing on the immediate duties before
them; but this morning she had felt the need of meeting the cases of
homesickness with which the opening of every new year abounded, and
which seemed, to the pupils at least, matters of the greatest and
saddest importance.

She chose one of the most cheerful hymns in the collection they used,
by which to bring the tone of the school into harmony with her
remarks; and, after it was sung, she said:--

CHAPTER IV.

SETTLING DOWN TO WORK.

"If I were to ask, which I am too wise to do,"--here a smile broke out
over the faces of her audience--"those among you who are homesick to
rise, how many do you suppose I should see upon their feet?"

A laugh now, and a good deal of elbow-nudging among the girls.

"In the twenty years I have been principal of this academy, I have
seen a great deal of this sickness, and I have sympathy with, and pity
for it. It has been often told us that the Swiss, away from their
Alpine homes, often die of it, but I have never yet found a case that
was in the least danger of becoming fatal; so far from it, I might
say, that when, since the Comforter sent to us in all our troubles has
taken the sickness under his healing care, my most homesick pupils
have become my happiest and most contented; so, if I do not seem to
suffer with you, my suffering pupils, it is because I have no fear of
the result.

"I have a prescription to offer you this morning. Love your home--the
more the better; but keep a great place in your hearts for your
studies. Give us good recitations in the place of tears.
_Study_--study cheerfully, earnestly, faithfully, and if this fails to
cure you, come and tell me. I shall see I have made a wrong diagnosis
of your condition."

Another laugh over the room, in which some of the unhappy ones were
seen to join.

"A few words more. I take it for granted that when a young girl comes
to join my school, she comes as a lady. There are qualifications
needed to establish one's claim to the title. I shall state them
briefly:--

"Kindness to, and thoughtfulness of, others; politeness, even in
trifles; courtesy that wins hearts, generosity that makes friends,
unselfishness that loves another better than on