The school-house was a very pretty cottage with a trellised front of bean-vines and honeysuckle; and when I entered I found, to my great surprise, that Miss Sewell, the teacher, looked very much like other people.  There were two moderate-sized rooms, opening into each other, in one of which Mr. Sewell superintended several desks of unruly boys—­in the other, his daughter directed the studies of about twenty little girls.  There were some large girls seated at the desks, who appeared to me so very antiquated that I was almost afraid to hazard an idea respecting their ages; and had I been asked how old they were, should probably have replied ‘at least fifty;’ although I do not now suppose the eldest was more than fourteen.

Rather stunned by the buzz and noise of the classes reciting, and very much puzzled as to my own probable destiny, I began to climb the hill of knowledge.  I said my letters; and Miss Sewell, having found that I knew them pretty well, (thanks to Mammy’s patient teaching), allowed me to spell in a-b, ab, and b-a, ba, and set me some straight marks on my slate.  I met with nothing remarkable during my first day at school; and on my return informed Mammy, as the result of my studies, that two and one make four.  Nor could I be persuaded to the contrary; for, although I had been taught by the old nurse to count as far as ten, on being examined by Miss Sewell, either bashfulness or obstinacy prevented me from displaying the extent of my knowledge—­and, while endeavoring to explain to me how many one and one make, she had said:  “There is one, to begin with; well now, one more makes two,” therefore as one made two in this case, I supposed it did in every other.

I learned to love the mild countenance of Miss Sewell, with her plain dark hair and soft eyes, and was never happier then when she was invited to tea; for then I was emancipated from the nursery and placed beside her at table.  I dearly loved to take her fruit and flowers; and white lilies, roses, honey-suckles, and the most admired productions of our garden were daily laid on Miss Sewell’s table.  For rewards we had a great many wide, bright-colored ribbons, which were tied upon our arms, that every one might see them as we went home; and she who could boast a variety of ribbons was known to have been perfect in all her lessons.  Those who had fallen into disgrace were distinguished by a broad band passed around the head, on the front of which was written in large characters the name of the misdemeanor.

One morning I had been rather negligent, and, having my suspicions as to the consequence, told Mammy of my fears, and my dread of the disgrace.  The old nurse’s anger even exceeded mine; she declared that her child should not be treated so, and advised me to snatch it off and tear it to pieces.  I went to school, not having exactly made up my mind whether to follow this advice or not; but my afternoon lessons fully made up for the deficiency of the morning, and I escaped the dreaded punishment.  I had gone with several companions to the closet in which we deposited our hats and shawls, and while engaged in the process of robing, I heard a very loud voice talking in great excitement, and one which I immediately recognised.  I overheard Mammy exclaiming:  “Where is my child?  Has she got that horrid thing on her head?  I want to take it off before she goes home.”