“Hurrying past the form-table on hearing the hall bell, a long protruding pen caught in a fold of my dress, the whole apparatus swung steadily round and fell on the floor with a hideous splash. There was only time to pick up the stand and pen, the ink, alas! was foolishly left to soak steadily into the stainless floor. “That morning our bright little service seemed interminably long, and several notices delayed the filing off of the classes as speedily as usual. “I was the first to re-enter our room, in which Fraülein stood alone gazing at the catastrophe. “I told her I was the culprit, and mumbled out something about ‘telling Miss Buss.’ “Her smile and quiet remark, ‘She vill not vant much telling,’ were hardly reassuring. “Fraülein was quite right; Miss Buss did not want any telling, the evidence in black and white was quite sufficient. She never scolded me for the accident, but was vexed at my not having informed the housekeeper immediately, instead of allowing the ink to soak comfortably in for twenty minutes. “After a little chat about ‘Presence of Mind,’ I was told to repair the mischief, and attempt to get the stain out. “There was no German for me that morning. The time was occupied in scrubbing the floor with lemons. During the day several helped, even teachers kindly lending a hand, but all our efforts were futile, and the ink obstinately refused to move. “Later on, oxalic acid came into play, Miss Buss personally superintending the performance, and being really anxious in case any of the poison should perchance cling to my fingers. “All to no good! On Monday the room was to be used by the Cambridge examiners, and, as a last resource, the carpenter and his plane were imperatively summoned. “So ended Black Friday! “I had bought my experience in the ways of inkstands, a thorough knowledge of eradicating stains, and a life-long lesson to act more decisively, paying in return a bill, the items of which ran thus: the cost of lemons, oxalic acid, and the carpenter; lost marks, a signature in the defaulters’ book, and the most miserable day of my school experience.” Mrs. Bryant continues—