wis, "Miss Capron has no business
to be so awful cross. Only think what a sight of marks we got. Let's act
just as bad when we go into school again, and she will have to dismiss
us, and then we'll all go down to the falls and have a nice time."

"Would'nt it be grand," said Nellie Jones.

"Splendid," replied Mattie Lee.

"Why! what is the matter?" said Mary Paine, who had been absent from
school during the day until then and was surprised to find her usually
pleasant companions so excited. When she had heard the whole story, she
looked very sad:--

"Poor Miss Capron! How could you treat her so!"

"It is just what she deserves for being so cross," said Lottie Barnes.

"Oh, you have been looking at the wrong side, girls. I have heard a
story of a lady who began to find faults in her son's wife. The more she
looked for them, the more she found, until she began to think her
daughter-in-law the most disagreeable person in the world. She used to
talk of her failings to a very dear friend.

"Finally, her friend said to her one day, 'No doubt Jane has her faults,
and very disagreeable ones, but suppose for awhile you try to see what
good qualities you can discover in her character. Really, I am very
curious to know.'

"The good lady was a little offended at her friend's plain suggestion;
but finally concluded to try it; and long before she had discovered half
her good traits, she began to regard Jane as a perfect treasure. Now you
have been doing just as this lady did, in looking for faults. Let us be
like her the rest of the afternoon in looking for pleasant things. Let
us see how many smiles we can get from Miss Capron."

Mary Paine was one of the oldest girls in the school. She gave the girls
subjects for their compositions and helped them out of all their
troubles. So being a favorite they consented, half reluctantly, to do as
she said.

Miss Capron dreaded to ring the bell. The fifteen minutes passed, and
she felt compelled to call her scholars. They entered in perfect order.

[Illustration: "She felt compelled to call her scholars."]

Each took her seat quietly and began studying in real earnest.
Frequently, however, a pleasant smile would seek an answering one from
the teacher, and then one would be added to the rapidly increasing row
of smile-marks. The good order and close application to study, and the
winning looks, soon caused a continual smile to lighten Miss Capron's
face, till the girls finally rubbe