The class next day was very much the same that it had been the day before, except that Mr. Hugo returned the exercises he had taken the day before, commenting upon the faults he had marked in each. Poor Annette's paper was covered with many lines, notwithstanding the pains she had taken, and Emily felt sorry for her as the Professor handed it back with the not very encouraging remark, that it did not contain one perfectly correct sentence. Her own was pronounced "tres bien," and Delia's also seemed without a flaw, though she did not open it, but placed it carefully in her book.
When the class was dismissed, Emily lingered a moment to talk to Bella and Lucy, who were endeavoring to console Annette for her failure, and on trying the door of her room she found it locked. It was a moment or more before Delia opened it, and Emily thought she looked a little confused, but she made no remark.
"Let us go and see Kitty," said Delia, after school was dismissed in the afternoon. "I have not called on her yet, and I want to take her my strawberries."
Kitty was dressed and sitting by the fire in Mrs. Pomeroy's room, wrapped in the warm knitted shawl which had been Emily's Christmas present to her. She was very grateful for the strawberries, and still more for the remembrance that prompted the gift.
"Every one is so good to me," said she, "that I don't know how to thank them. Just see what a beautiful shawl Emily made for me! Aunt says it is the prettiest one she ever saw." And she ran on about it till Emily was glad to turn her attention to something else, by asking her how she contrived to amuse herself. The question only gave the sweet little girl still farther opportunity of expatiating upon the goodness of every one about her.
Janet had made her a beautiful picture book, which she could look at when she was unable to read. Miss Thomas had brought her a lovely little bird from New York, which sang all day long, and Mr. Fletcher always came to her as soon as school was out, and told her such charming stories, and he had taught her kittens to play ball just as Grip did. Then she returned to the shawl, and displayed all its beauties, till Delia laughingly declared she was growing jealous, and carried Emily off.
"What a sweet little creature she is!" she remarked, after they had left the room. "I should almost be willing to be sick, too, to be so good and gentle. And she is so cheerful, too, notwithstanding all she suffers. I don't see how it is that she contrives to keep up such good spirits, do you?"
Emily thought she could understand the source of Kitty's cheerfulness, but she felt every day less and less inclined to converse on such matters with Delia, so she turned the subject by reminding her companion that if they meant to walk in the yard, it was time they were about it. Hoods and furs were quickly donned, and they were soon pacing up and down the sunny walk, in front of the house, where many of their companions, in twos and threes, were enjoying the same exercise.
"Do look at those girls," said Belle Faushane, as she joined them, and directed their attention to some three or four young ladies (so styled by courtesy) who had stopped in their promenade as near to the gates as rules permitted, and were evidently trying to attract the attention of some young men who were passing. "What fools they do make of themselves! Every boy that passes, they stop short and look at him. If I were so very anxious for a beau, I would not show it quite so plainly. There is Almira Crosby, a grown up woman, almost."
"Quite grown up, I should say," interrupted Delia, laughing; "at best it is to be hoped that she would not grow any taller."