lighted on
my plain plaid frock and undressed hair.

"Don't you come from the country, Miss Randolph?" she said, insolently
enough.

I answered yes. And I remembered what my mantua-maker had said.

"Did you have that dress made there?"

"For shame, St. Clair!" said Miss Bentley; "let Miss Randolph alone. I
am sure her dress is very neat."

"I wonder if women don't wear long hair where she came from?" said the
girl, turning away from me again. The others laughed.

I was as little pleased at that moment with the defence as with the
attack. The instant thought in my mind was, that Miss Bentley knew no
more how to conduct the one than Miss St. Clair to make the other; if
the latter had no civility, the first had no style. Now the St. Clair
was one of the best dressed girls in school and came from one of the
most important families. I thought, if she knew where I came from, and
who my mother was, she would change her tone. Nevertheless, I wished
mamma would order me to let my hair grow, and I began to think whether
I might not do it without order. And I thought also that the spring
was advancing, and warm weather would soon be upon us; and that these
girls would change their talk and their opinion about me when they
saw my summer frocks. There was nothing like _them_ in all the school.
I ran over in my mind their various elegance, of texture and lace, and
fine embroidery, and graceful, simple drapery. And also I thought, if
these girls could see Magnolia, its magnificent oaks, and its acres of
timber, and its sweeps of rich fields, and its troops of servants,
their minds would be enlightened as to me and my belongings.

These meditations were a mixture of comfort and discomfort to me; but
on the whole I was not comfortable. This process of comparing myself
with my neighbours, I was not accustomed to; and even though its
results were so favourable, I did not like it. Neither did I quite
relish living under a cloud; and my eyes being a little sharpened now,
I could see that not by my young companions alone, but by every one of
the four teachers, I was looked upon as a harmless little girl whose
mother knew nothing about the fashionable world. I do not think that
anything in my manner showed either my pique or my disdain; I believe
I went out of doors just as usual; but these things were often in my
thoughts, and taking by degrees more room in them.

It was not till the Sunday came round again, that I got any more
lig