"The best kind of a way to end up school!"
"Why, girls, it will be just a month from to-day. Let's find Miss Page and learn all the particulars."
At this proposal quite a number went into the recitation-room, but Susie, with her eyes on Florence's sad face, seemed chained to her seat.
"I must decide now," she was thinking. "No; I can not give it up. I gave up to Dick this morning, and that's enough for one day. Then, too, it's Friday, visitors' day, and I should just like to show them how well I stand. And when papa hears of my success he'll be delighted; he always is when he thinks I'm getting on well in my lessons. Oh no; I can not, can not give it up! Of course I shall vote for Florence, and that's all I can be expected to do. I haven't asked the girls to vote for me, and I'm not supposed to know anything about it."
"But you do know about it," said the still, small voice. "You know, moreover, that you can make Florence very happy, and that it will not affect your standing in the least."
"Oh dear!" sighed Susie. "I suppose I'll have to give it up, but I can wait until after the votes are counted, and then say I prefer Florence to have the place."
"Ah!" interposed Conscience, "your idea is 'to be seen of men.' There is no charity in that, and, besides, how would Florence feel to be so patronized? If you give it up at all, do it entirely and cheerfully."
"Oh, I can not, I really can not. It will be lovely to have all the girls for my subjects, to be waited on by them, and pass under their garlands. Why does every word I read this morning in the commentary keep coming into my mind, about one's being willing to have another honored if one can be more honored one's self? How exactly that applies to my giving up to Florence after being elected myself; and then that 'In honor preferring one another' has been running in my head all the morning. I'll just stop thinking about it, and go in Miss Page's room with the rest, and talk over the dresses. That reminds me. That lovely one I had made in the fall for Cousin Clara's wedding—I believe it will be the very thing." And she hastily went down the passage between two rows of desks.
FLORENCE AND SUSIE IN THE SCHOOL-ROOM.