ning of what might be done; so, now,
finding herself for a time in sole authority in the school, she at
once, as soon as Christmas was over, began to put her girls through
what she considered so essential to their health.

She made her first attempt upon Marion and Nellie. Finding them both
bent nearly double over their books, Nellie very pale, with dark rings
under her eyes, and Marion with flushed cheeks and too bright eyes,
she at once routed them from their books, made them stand up before
her, and said,--

"Now, do"--and her English word failing her, she drew a long breath
from the bottom of her chest, and motioned to them to imitate her.

Marion, never having attempted anything of the kind before, did so
partially, and Nellie could only produce something that sounded like a
gurgle in her small throat.

The Fraeulein shook her head impatiently, and repeated the process over
and over again, Marion gaining a little every time, but Nellie soon
discouraged and tired.

"Bard! bard! nicht right--aushauchen tief--so, thus:" (deep breaths
from the Fraeulein). Then, seeming suddenly to remember that the girls
did not know why she made the request, she tried in an anglicized
German, which no one could by any possibility have understood, to
explain it to them. She tapped her own head, took up a book, appeared
to read it, while she moved the leaves in time with her long
inhalations and exhalations.

"Bon scholars! long--so!" Then suddenly she said, "Patientia!" and
vanished from the room. In a few minutes the corridor was full of
noisy girls, who came direct to Marion's room, and in obedience to the
Fraeulein's directions arranged themselves in a circle.

They had only the vaguest idea what they had been called for, but they
knew the Fraeulein always gave them "a jolly good time," and came
willingly. Merry enough they were for the next hour, and much to the
Fraeulein's surprise, for they were quicker than German girls, they
made so much progress that, after the second lesson, a plan that was
to tell much in future for the well-being of the academy was fully
developed.

The Fraeulein drew up a paper in German, in which she detailed not only
the benefits physically resulting from her system of deep breathing,
but also the help it would be in resting the excited nerves with which
so many of the young girls came into the recitation-room. Then, before
presenting it to Miss Ashton, she roused the enthusiasm of her class
b