done, I was simply
very sorry that it was done. I had not written it for honour or for duty,
but for love. I suppose that was the reason why it succeeded. I remember
I was anything but satisfied with it myself, as I was reading it aloud
for the benefit of my judges. For it was a day of prize compositions; and
before the whole school and even some visitors, the writings of the girls
were given aloud, each by its author. I thought, as I read mine, how poor
it was, and how magnificent my subject demanded that it should be. Under
the shade of the great columns, before those fine old sphinxes, my words
and myself seemed very small. I sat down in my place again, glad that the
reading was over.

But there was a little buzz; then a dead expectant silence; then Mme.
Ricard arose. My composition had been the last one. I looked up with
the rest, to hear the award that she would speak; and was at first
very much confounded to hear my own name called. "Miss Randolph--" It
did not occur to me what it was spoken for; I sat still a moment in a
maze. Mme. Ricard stood waiting; all the room was in a hush.

"Don't you hear yourself called?" said a voice behind me. "Why don't
you go?"

I looked round at Miss Macy, who was my adviser, then doubtfully I
looked away from her and caught the eyes of Mlle. Genevieve. She
nodded and beckoned me to come forward. I did it hastily then, and
found myself curtseying in front of the platform where stood madame.

"The prize is yours, Miss Randolph," she said graciously. "Your paper
is approved by all the judges."

"Quite artistic,"--I heard a gentleman say at her elbow.

"And it shows an amount of thorough study and perfect preparation,
which I can but hold up as a model to all my young ladies. You deserve
this, my dear."

I was confounded; and a low curtsey was only a natural relief to my
feelings. But madame unhappily took it otherwise.

"This is yours," she said, putting into my hands an elegant little
bronze standish;--"and if I had another prize to bestow for grace of
good manners, I am sure I would have the pleasure of giving you that
too."

I bent again before madame, and got back to my seat as I could. The
great business of the day was over, and we soon scattered to our
rooms. And I had not been in mine five minutes before the penalties of
being distinguished began to come upon me.

"Well, Daisy!" said Miss Lansing,--"you've got it. How pretty! isn't
it, Macy?"

"It isn't a bit pr