One day as Mr. Hall was ascending the steps to enter school, he saw Annie give Charles Lane a knitted purse, and heard her say something about "the phillipina." As I said, he was _principled_ against such interchange of sentiment, or gifts, between such children; but the present instance did not come precisely under his dominion, being _out_ of school--and he entered upon his duties with a somewhat cloudy brow. Every one has observed how much the sky of his feelings influences the earth of reality. If one wakes "out of tune" in the morning, the events of the day seldom harmonize him. Let you walk out in a city, feeling blue and burthened, and how many things conspire to annoy you. You are blinded by dust, or contaminated with mud, or the snow slumps, or your feet slip at every step; a child is almost run over in the street; people jostle rudely; the bell tolls; the town-crier seems to scream at every corner where you turn; the lady you particularly admire is talking with vast animation to ----, and does not even perceive you; a bow thrown away; Mr. Lawkens, the deaf man, will cross over to speak to you, but cannot hear your answer, although you have repeated it the third time; a gust of wind blows off your hat, and a bore holds you by the button to tell you, what you well knew, the election has gone against your favorite candidate; while you inwardly exclaim, "misfortunes never come single." Our pedagogue had a hazy atmosphere around his spirit this day--and nothing cleared it. The recitations were miserable, and the boys full of pranks--which boys are heir to; the girls were any thing but book-intent. The class in chemistry was called, and as Mr. Hall was performing some experiments on the apparatus, he said, "Now, when I apply this, you will see that--it wont go," he added, as the desired result, from some cause, failed. "Certainly, we see it," smilingly whispered Annie to the next on her seat. The sound reached Mr. Hall, already mortified by the failure of the experiment. "Miss Hinton," he exclaimed, in a loud, stern tone, "take your books, and go home." Annie looked surprised, as well she might, and waited, as if to be sure she did not misunderstand him. The attention of the school was roused--there could be no revocation--so the mandate was repeated, and obeyed.