The Governess | Page 4

looked upon as a great favour when she would take any girl. And
as her number was fixed to nine, which she on no account would be
prevailed on to increase, great application was made, when any scholar
went away, to have her place supplied; and happy were they who could
get a promise for the next vacancy.
Mrs. Teachum was about forty years old, tall and genteel in her person,
though somewhat inclined to fat. She had a lively and commanding eye,
insomuch that she naturally created an awe in all her little scholars;
except when she condescended to smile, and talk familiarly to them;
and then she had something perfectly kind and tender in her manner.
Her temper was so extremely calm and good, that though she never
omitted reprehending, and that pretty severely, any girl that was guilty
of the smallest fault proceeding from an evil disposition; yet for no
cause whatsoever was she provoked to be in a passion; but she kept up
such a dignity and authority, by her steady behavior, that the girls
greatly feared to incur her displeasure by disobeying her commands;
and were equally pleased with her approbation, when they had done
anything worthy her commendation.
At the time of the ensuing history, the school (being full) consisted of
the nine following young ladies:
Miss JENNY PEACE. Miss NANNY SPRUCE. Miss SUKEY
JENNETT. Miss BETTY FORD. Miss DOLLY FRIENDLY. Miss
HENNY FRET. Miss LUCY SLY. Miss POLLY SUCKLING. Miss
PATTY LOCKIT.
The eldest of these was but fourteen years old, and none of the rest had
yet attained their twelfth year.

AN ACCOUNT OF A FRAY, BEGUN AND CARRIED ON FOR
THE SAKE OF AN APPLE: IN WHICH ARE SHOWN THE SAD
EFFECTS OF RAGE AND ANGER.

It was on a fine summer's evening when the school-hours were at an
end, and the young ladies were admitted to divert themselves for some
time, as they thought proper, in a pleasant garden adjoining to the
house, that their governess, who delighted in pleasing them, brought
out a little basket of apples, which were intended to be divided equally
amongst them; but Mrs. Teachum being hastily called away (one of her
poor neighhours having had an accident which wanted her assistance),
she left the fruit in the hands of Miss Jenny Peace, the eldest of her
scholars, with a strict charge to see that every one had an equal share of
her gift.
But here a perverse accident turned good Mrs. Teachum's design of
giving them pleasure into their sorrow, and raised in their little hearts
nothing but strife and anger: for, alas! there happened to be one apple
something larger than the rest, on which the whole company
immediately placed their desiring eyes, and all at once cried out, 'Pray,
Miss Jenny, give me that apple.' Each gave her reasons why she had the
best title to it: the youngest pleaded her youth, and the eldest her age;
one insisted on her goodness, another from her meekness claimed a title
to preference; and one, in confidence of her strength, said positively,
she would have it; but all speaking together, it was difficult to
distinguish who said this, or who said that.
Miss Jenny begged them all to be quiet, but in vain; for she could not
be heard: they had all set their hearts on that fine apple, looking upon
those she had given them as nothing. She told them they had better be
contented with what they had, than be thus seeking what it was
impossible for her to give to them all. She offered to divide it into eight
parts, or to do anything to satisfy them; but she might as well have been
silent; for they were all talking and had no time to hear. At last as a
means to quiet the disturbance, she threw this apple, the cause of their
contention, with her utmost force over a hedge into another garden,
where they could not come at it.
At first they were all silent, as if they were struck dumb with
astonishment with the loss of this one poor apple, though at the same
time they had plenty before them.
But this did not bring to pass Miss Jenny's design: for now they all
began again to quarrel which had the most right to it, and which ought
to have had it, with as much vehemence as they had before contended

for the possession of it; and their anger by degrees became so high, that
words could not vent half their rage; and they fell to pulling of caps,
tearing of hair, and dragging the clothes off one another's backs: though
they did not so much strike, as endeavour to scratch and pinch their
enemies.
Miss Dolly Friendly as