All new pupils underwent this examination. Where she had been trained, what she had studied, and what her aims were, if she had any.
Mrs. Van Dorn had explained pretty clearly, and she had also said, "Don't spoil a very nice, honest girl by setting her up too high."
"What I would like to do most of all?" and Helen's eyes lighted with enthusiasm. "I think it would be to teach, because then you always go on learning. There are some things that girls and women do that seem to make you stop off short, turn you into another channel entirely," and she thought of the shoe factory and how narrowly she had escaped that.
Mrs. Van Dorn had been quite as non-commital with her protégée then, or had no real plans for her.
"Now let me hear what you have studied."
Helen went over the list and told of her High School examination and how she had passed. There was a girlish pride in it, of course, but no undue elation. Mrs. Aldred was much pleased with the absence of self-consciousness, the real delight in knowledge.
"You are very well grounded. Mrs. Van Dorn wished you to take up French; of course you will begin with Latin. And music."
"Oh!" Helen's face was radiant then. "Music! I never dreamed of that!"
"You will not enjoy the drudgery, but that has to come first. It is an excellent thing to be interested in what you are doing, to love it, but all studies are not equally pleasant. There are courage and perseverance needed."
"I shall try to do my very best for Mrs. Van Dorn's sake. It was so generous of her to send me here though I do think I should have managed to work my way through the High School."