7

Promoted

The following day school duties were again taken up and continued steadily through the succeeding three weeks, with no unusual occurrence to break the even tenor or arrest the daily routine of duties. The Christmas holidays were now drawing near, when one day Carrie asked her teacher this question: “When can I go home?” In reply, her teacher said, “You can go next Saturday if your father comes for you.” That answer surprised Carrie very much, and when she communicated it to one of her classmates it was not at all believed. Not daunted by the doubts of her friend, however, she at once asked permission to write to her father, requesting him to come for her. Permission was readily granted, and, procuring paper and pencil, she sat down to compose her letter. She had scarcely commenced her task when the superintendent entered the room and, after exchanging a few words with her teacher, directed Carrie to take her book, pencil, and paper and follow him. She obeyed, wonderingly. Proceeding a short distance along the corridor, he stopped at the door of another schoolroom. He entered this room, and Carrie followed. As they came forward, Miss Mayhews, the teacher, paused in her work and, after a few words to her by the superintendent, gave Carrie a seat at one of the desks and supplied her with pen, ink, and copybook. Then it was that Carrie realized that she had been promoted to the class one grade above the one of which she had previously been a member.

The teacher gave her permission to finish the letter she had begun, and, forgetful of past admonitions, she grasped her pencil in her left hand, and without even the preliminaries of stating place or date, commenced awkwardly to scribble her petition to her father. The teacher almost immediately noticed the awkward way in which she held her pencil, and, going to her, placed it in proper position in her right hand. Holding it as best she could with this hand, Carrie succeeded in finishing her letter, which was as follows:

Mr. Mayhews will let me go home next Saturday if you will come for me. I want you to be sure and come the very next Saturday or it will be too late. I want to see you all so bad. Be sure and come.

Carrie Raymond

This letter she gave to her teacher to mail, who delayed doing so, in consequence of which it did not reach Carrie’s father till Saturday night. When Saturday morning came Carrie was on tiptoe with expectation. She watched and waited anxiously for the summons which would tell her that her father had arrived. But as the day waned without bringing him, she sadly gave up all hope of spending Christmas at home.

The Sabbath came and quietly passed. On Monday morning the schoolroom duties were proceeding as usual when the nurse came to summon Carrie to the reception room, where, to her joy, she found her father, who greeted her warmly. Then he produced some beautiful presents he had brought for her. Carrie soon learned that Dr. Mayhews had given her father permission to take her home for a few days’ visit, and she went to prepare to accompany him. While Carrie was getting ready for her journey home, Dr. Mayhews communicated to Mr. Raymond the news of Carrie’s promotion, which much pleased him.

Very pleasant were the warm greetings Carrie received upon reaching home, and her short visit was to be both novel and refreshing.

Leaving Carrie enjoying the brief holidays at home, we will go back to the greater number of the pupils at the institution, who are obliged to remain there during the holidays. Let us see how their Yuletide will be spent.