The Luckiest Girl in the School | Page 3

I'm sure I try to do my best
all round, and you know, Winona, how I said Aunt Harriet--"
But Winona was already devouring the letter.
"10 Abbey Close,
"Seaton,
"August 26th.
"MY DEAR FLORITA,--You are quite right to consult me in your
difficulties, and are welcome to any advice which I am able to offer
you. I am sorry to hear of your financial embarrassments, but I am not

surprised. The present increase in the cost of living, and extra taxation,
will make retrenchments necessary to everybody. In the circumstances
I should not advise you to leave Highfield. ("Oh, thank goodness!"
ejaculated Winona.) The expense of a removal would probably cancel
what you would otherwise save. Neither should I recommend you to
take Percy from Longworth College and send him daily to be coached
by your parish curate. From my knowledge of his character I consider
the discipline of a public school to be indispensable if he is to grow into
worthy manhood, and sooner than allow the wholesome restraint of his
house master to be removed at this critical portion of his life, I will
myself defray half the cost of his maintenance for the next two years.
"Now as regards Winona. I believe she has ability, and it is high time to
begin to think seriously what you mean to do with her. In the future
women will have to depend upon themselves, and I consider that all
girls should be trained to gain their own living. The foundation of every
career is a good education--without this it is impossible to build at all,
and Winona certainly cannot obtain it if she remains at home. The new
High School at Seaton is offering two open Scholarships to girls
resident in the County, the examination for which is on September 8th.
I propose that Winona enters for this examination, and that if she
should be a successful candidate, she should come to live with me
during the period of her attendance at the High School. The education
is the best possible, there is a prospect of a University Scholarship to be
competed for, and every help and encouragement is given to the girls in
their choice of a career. With Winona off your hands, I should suggest
that you should engage a competent nursery governess to teach the
younger children the elements of order and discipline. I would gladly
pay her salary on the understanding that I should myself select her.
"Trusting that these proposals may be of some service, and hoping to
hear a better account of your health,
"I remain,
"Your affectionate Aunt
"and Godmother,

"Harriet Beach."

Winona laid down the letter with an agitated gasp. The proposition
almost took her breath away.
"What an idea!" she exclaimed indignantly. "Mother, of course you
won't even dream of it for an instant! I'd hate to go and live with Aunt
Harriet. It's not to be thought of!"
"Well, I don't know, Winona!" wavered Mrs. Woodward. "We must
look at it from all sides, and perhaps Aunt Harriet's right, and it really
would be for the best. Miss Harmon's a poor teacher, and I'm sure your
music, at any rate, is not a credit to her. You played that last piece
shockingly out of time. You know you said yourself that you were
getting beyond Miss Harmon!"
Whatever impeachments Winona may have brought against her teacher,
she was certainly not prepared to admit them now. She rejected the
project of the Seaton High School with the utmost energy and
determination, bringing into the fray all that force of character which
her mother lacked. Poor Mrs. Woodward vacillated feebly--she was
generally swayed by whoever was nearest at the moment--and I verily
believe Winona's arguments would have prevailed, and the whole
scheme would have been abandoned, had not Mr. Joynson opportunely
happened to turn up.
Mr. Joynson was a solicitor, and the trustee of Mrs. Woodward's
property. He managed most of her business affairs, and some of her
private ones as well. She had confidence in his judgment, and she at
once thankfully submitted the question of Winona's future to his
decision.
"The very thing for her!" he declared. "Do her a world of good to go to
a proper school. She's frittering her time away here. Send her to Seaton
by all means. What are you to do without her? Nonsense! Nobody's
indispensable--especially a girl of fifteen! Pack her off as soon as you

can. Doesn't want to go? Oh, she'll sing a different song when once she
gets there, you'll see!"
Thus supported by masculine authority, Mrs. Woodward settled the
question in the affirmative, and replied to her aunt by return of post.
Naturally such a stupendous event as the exodus of Winona made a
sensation in the household.
"Well,