Villanova Digital Library - The Girls' companion, v. VI, no. 18, May 4, 1907. :: Digital Library@Villanova University

Activate Javascript or update your browser for the full Digital Library experience. Next Page

Full Title	The Girls' companion, v. VI, no. 18, May 4, 1907.
Contributor	Bamford, Mary E. (Mary Ellen).
Date Added	30 September 2021
Format	Journal
Language	English
Publish Date	1907-05-04
Publisher	Elgin, Ill. and Chicago : David C. Cook Publishing Co.
Source	Dime Novels and Popular Literature
Alternate Title	Sophia Josephine's blighted future / by Mary E. Bamford.
Topic	Children's literature > Periodicals.
About	More Details Permanent Link
Disclaimers	Disclaimer of Liability Disclaimer of Endorsement

OCR Copyright, 1907, by David ©, . Cook Publishing Company. Vou. VI. No. 18. { Fosrisiep DAVID C, COOK PUBLISHING CO., Exern, ILLINOIS, AND 36 WasuiNncTon Sr., Crreaco, May 4, 1907. “ AYBE wasn’t a first-rate M hand we bring you up,” said Uncle Phillips. mournfully. “Tt isn’t your fault!’ wept Sophia Josephine. “I can’t help being sensitive over my failure.” Four months ago, Sophia Josephine had been graduated. Sophia was nineteen. She intended to be a teacher. So, when, a month before her graduation, the county examination for teachers’ certifi- eates was held at the county seat, Sophia Josephine had gone there to be examined. She failed to pass, chiefly on-account of arithmetic, which she had not studied much for some years. Her failure was a dreadful Sophia Josephine, She had been used | to shining» in her high-school clas: nd could have translated some pages of Virgil with comparative ease. During the three months that now had elapsed since she failed to pass, all the world, had seemed blighted to Sophia Josephine. Nobody could teach without a certifivate, and she never could get one, neve} County examinations were held every months. Uncle and Aunt Phillips, shock to who had brought up Sophia Josephine, tried to encourage her to study for the next exam- ination, but she despaired. “Tt’s no use!” she said; “ I can’t!” To-day Uncle Phillips © consulted bis wife. “What do you think of Sophia?” asked Uncle Phillips, anxiously. “Well,” said his wife, “I’m afraid Sophia. Josephine is like her pa’s. folks. She won’t persevere.. They never had any perseverance. Don’t you remember?” Uncle Phillips. sighed. IIe, had been proud of Sophia Josephine. Sometimes he had invited neighbors to come in to hear her play “The Storm” on the piano, assur- ing them she made it sound exactly like thunder! When Sophia Josephine was graduated” from the high-school, Uncle Phillips had proudly told the groceryman about the class poem that Sophia wrote, that the vocal music teacher said was the best thing he ever heard. The reason the yocal teacher thought so was that Sophia | » Josephine had mentioned him in the class poem, saying to her fellow-graduates: duty’s “No more shall we, at sternest Sing scales to Mr. Smith, out in the hall!” So Sophia did not value the vocal teach- er’s praise highly. -But Uncle Phillips did, and he was the more dismayed at Sophia Josephine’s failure to meet bravely her present first real life problem “T’'d forgot about Sophia ” Josephine’s pa’s folks not being overly persevering !” thought Uncle Phillips, dismally. A week after this, Mrs. Taine came to the door. “ Amelia Deming’s got one of her sick spells,” said M Taine. “ Will Sophia Josephine substitute for Amelia a few days?” Mrs. Taine had a big, old house. In the big, bare, front room downstairs she had a little ._private school. There were about fifteen scholars of all sizes, including Mrs. Taine’s two little girls, Mrs. Taine taught only music, and she had employed Amelia Me Deming now for two years to teach the common English branches all day, Amelia walked with crutches. She had been an intimate friend of Sophia Josephine while schoolmates, but Amelia had had to leave the high-school when half through. To Amelia and her widowed mother, the twelve dollars a month that she earned teaching Mrs. Taine’s school was very necessary. “Td pay you more, if you were a grad- uate of anything, so’s I could tell folks so,” Mrs. Taine had said, on employing Amelia. It had been a great grief to Amelia that e had “never graduated from anything.” She had looked with admiring, wistful eyes at Sophia Josephine, who could continue in the high-school till graduation. Now when Amelia was ill, her first thought had ~en to ask Sophia to substitute. : Sophia Josephine received the request listlessly. “I suppose I can!” she said, “Do!” urged ber aunt. “It'll help poor Ameli She’s the faithfulest girl under disadvantages I ever saw Sophia winced. bidet consider her.“ faithful ”? Next day Sophia Josephine sat in Mrs. Taine’s bare room, with the fifteen scholars, To fill all the time, Sophia had the pri- mary reading class stand in~ line three times that day and read aloud, a proceeding that ealled forth one little fellow’s “We never do read Aunt’ Phillips The oldest pupil, a boy quite advanced in arithmetic, worked his problems and handed his paper respectfully to Sophia. With great dignity she looked at .the figures and marked them perfect. She hoped they “I’m surprised that Amelia can teach this boy!” thoifght Sophia. After a week, one day at Josephine, seeing her come in, thought how often Amelia must have swung herself in on her crutches through that door the last two years and taught for the pitiful twelve dollars a month, Poor Amelia! She never would be strong enough to teach any public school. “T expect my scholars have learned a good deal from you,” said Amelia, looking with ad- miiration at Sophia Josephine, “You're a real graduate. I wish I were a graduate of anything! Oh, Sophia, I did feel so bad when I had to leave the high- school, only half through! I used to cry about it nights. Oh, you don’t know! -It must be beautiful to graduate!” Sophia Josephine moved uneasily. She was not used to counting her blessings. Amelia bent forward eagerly. “ Sophia,” she said, “I’m going to tell you a secret. Mrs. Taine says, if I ever pass the county teachers’ examination and get a-certificate, she'll increase my pay to Wee og fifteen dollars a month. Think of getting fifteen dollars!) Mrs, Taine’s real kind. Every six months, when teachers’ exami- nation comes, Mrs. Taine teaches this school herself for two or three days, so I can go to the county seat and take the exami- nation there. Nobody here knows why I liave vacation. Nobody besides Mrs, Taine knows that I’ve taken two examinations and failed to pass. The third examination- time—last time—I couldn’t go because I was sick; but, when the next examination comes, I’m going to try again. Tifteen dollars a month would be such a help to mother! I’m studying all the time. I'm going to keep trying!” Sophia Josephine stared, sickly, lame, girl like Amelia, determined, persevering, intending to take vher third examination three months hence, with only a pitiful salary and, mother-loye to inspire her amazed, A “ ‘Well. ”” confessed Sophia Josephine, slowly, “I took the teachers’ examination the last time and failed. I'm clear dis- couraged !* “Why, ates. ever I didn’t know that real gradu- felt discouraged!” exclaimed 2} Amelia. Sophia Josephine went home, the little school to Amelia, Next day, Uncle Phillips came into the home kitchen, his face alight. “ Sophia Josephine’s got all her school She's studying fer the next tecchers’ examination! whispered’ the old man, proudly. “One day’s studying isn’t much,” said leaving “AMELIA’S GOT ITER CERTIFICATE !” his wife. I've lost hope.” “Sophia won’t, persevere. But, week after week, Sophia Josephine studied. _ She reviewed arithmetic thor- oughly. She studied history till she knew pages of dates. If she grew discouraged, she shamefacedly remembered the sound of crutches on a bare schoolroom. floor, ani the pathetic face of a girl who said, “ Why, I didn’t know real graduates ever felt dis- couraged !” So. when three months had elapsed, Sophia’ Josephine and Amelia both went to the county seat to take the teachers’ examination with other applicants gath- ered there. Written arithmetic, gram- mar. and spelling’ papers filled the first day. The second morning each applicant re- ceived a little slip, telling what percentage he or she had obtained in arithmetic, gram- mar and spelling the previous day. If anybody fell below seventy per cent. in one of those studies, that person had to go home without taking further examinations. With beating heart that second morn- ing Sophia Josephine watched one of the examiners walking the aisles, giving out the fateful white slips. He was coming nearer, nearer! Sophia Josephine took her slip tremblingly. Yes! She could stay for the rest of the examinations! Could Amelia? It would spoil every- thing if she céuldn’t stay, too Finally, across the room, Sophia saw Amelia preparing to write the next ex- amination paper. So Amelia could stay! After receiving white slips, some appli- eants went directly out. Others stayed a while, and slipped out’ so unobtrusively that Sophia, looking up, was surprised to find them gone, the two days’ examinations, f Sophia and Amelia returned home to await results. “Do ‘you suppose we asked each other. , A week afterwards Sophia Josephine received a large envelope. In it was a yel- low paper. It was her county certificate! She had passed! Hfow Uncle and Aunt Phillips rejoiced with her! “Td like to run straight over to Amelia’s and show her my certificate,” said» Sophia, “but I don't like-to go, if they passed?” Amelia hasn’t a_ certificate, Sophia looked anxiously lown the road toward Amelia’s, After a long time, Sophia saw a figure ingi crutches. i oor, The figure swung a big ‘envelope. “She's got one! She’s got one! Amelia’s got her certifi- cate!” cried Sophia Josephine, rushing down the steps. The two girls, laughing and half crying, rushed into each other’s arms. “Oh, isn't it beautiful!” cried Amelia. ‘“ We've both passed! Now Mrs. Taine’ll give me fifteen dollars a month! It'll help mother so! “ Amelia,” confessed Sophia Josephine, “I never should have got my certificate if it hadn't been for you! Never!” “Why, yes, you would!” said Amelia. “No,” said Sophia Jose- phine. “You were the one who had the perseverance and shamed me into it. Amelia laughed. She swung forward on her crutches, only half’ realizing how much her faithfulness under disadvantages had made Sophia Josephine faithful to her advantages. —— eo Keep your face always toward the sun- shine, and the shadows will fall behind you.— M. B. Whitman. saddest yanteng las ipa erent ct peste nese ence eke tact

Accessibility

The Digital Library strives to provide access to its collections and resources to the Villanova University community and the global community of scholars, subject to any intellectual property or other restrictions on use. Certain materials, such as historical documents, handwritten materials, and foreign language materials, present unique accessibility challenges and formatting limitations. If you are experiencing difficulties in accessing, viewing, or navigating the Digital Library, please contact us at digitallibrary@villanova.edu or 610.519.5271.

Back to Top