"Oh, do you remember how frightened I was? But some of the questions would not cause me five minutes' thought now. I've had a magnificent time with history and literature, and a tough time with Latin. It is one of the things I have to delve at this summer. It seems to me most of my life is school life. I can't stop anywhere. Something is thrust at me all the time." "You used to love to study," complainingly. "I love it yet. Botany is delightful, it is so full of live wonders. I do not care so much for chemistry. And physics----" "They require close attention. And what accomplishments?" in a dissatisfied tone. "French that I am not in love with, but Mrs. Van Dorn insists upon it, and the piano, drawing, and painting." "A waste of time most of them," he commented severely. "Sketching is very fascinating." "And a camera can give you the picture twice as well." "Some of the Seniors do beautiful work. One of them goes abroad to study and perfect herself in art. Miss Gertrude Aldred will go after next year." "That may be very well for pastime, or waste-time," with a touch of sarcasm, "but I don't suppose any of these girls could get their living at it?" "I don't know as they will be compelled to." "But everybody has to be put through the same mill, I suppose?" "Not exactly. Some studies are elective. Three of the girls go to college. Of course many of them do not expect to turn their education to any account. I should like to know just what I am to do with mine," and she laughed softly. "I thought you once looked up to teaching as a sort of glorified existence." The touch of irony did not hurt her at all. "I still think it one of the finest professions. Only--I should like to have a school of smart, eager children, and go on and on with them. I think it must be very hard to take up a new dull class every season." "It is," he returned frankly. "It was one of the drawbacks, like going down to the foot of your own class." "So I think I shall have a boarding school and keep the girls year after year." "Well, are you deep in metaphysics or transcendentalism?" asked a cheerful voice, as Mrs. Dayton's ample figure emerged from the door-way. "You do not seem to be 'sicklied o'er with the pale cast of thought.' That is an old-fashioned quotation and was in the copy books at school in my day, when to be thin and pale was the mark of a student. And wasn't midnight oil another? You do not show marks of either, Helen." "Oh, the lights are out and we have to be in bed at ten. We can rise as early as we like in the morning, however," laughed Helen. "Numbers of the old ideas have been exploded. Still, we must admit they made some good scholars. The students were more in earnest, they were not so superficial."