Should I live a hundred years I can never forget the shock her words gave me.  I fairly trembled with anger.  Rising to my feet, I looked her steadily in the face, as I said,—­

“That your words are false, as well as heartless, I need not tell you, as you are already aware of the fact.  I appeal to you if I have ever in any way courted the society of Willie.  If he has asked me to become his wife, is it through any fault of mine?  But you need give yourself no uneasiness upon the subject, for I have already told Willie that I will never become the wife of any man whose friends would look upon me as their inferior.  For, though poor, and obliged to labor for my bread, I possess a spirit equally proud with your own, and that spirit your insulting words have roused.  When you accuse me of enticing Willie into making a proposal of marriage, you well know that your accusation is false and without foundation.”

“I suppose,” said Mrs. Leighton, after a short silence, “that you will see the propriety of seeking another home.”

“You might,” I replied, “have saved yourself the trouble of reminding me of this, as I intend, this night, to leave your house.  I intend to show you that I shall prove no hindrance to your son’s marrying in accordance with your wishes.  Allow me to express my heart-felt thanks for your past kindness to me; but we must now part.”

Mrs. Leighton’s anger, by this time, was beginning to cool.

“I am perfectly willing,” said she, “that you should remain here till you can obtain another situation.  When I spoke of your seeking another home, I wished not that you should understand that I wished you to leave immediately.”

I thanked her, but said “I preferred going at once.”

She enquired whither I intended going?  I replied that there were several families residing in the city who had known and loved my mother, who would gladly shelter her orphan daughter.

Mrs. Leighton owed me, at the time, one hundred dollars of my salary; as I had not required the money, I had left it in her hands.  Leaving the room, she soon returned with the money in her hand, and pressed me to accept of fifty dollars over and above what was owing me.  I thanked her, but said I wished to accept only of what was my just due.  As she refused to receive back the money, I laid it upon the table, and began making my preparations for leaving her house.  In less than an hour my trunks were packed, and I was ready to go.  Laura and Georgania, I think purposely avoided me, for I did not see them before leaving.  I felt grieved when I parted with Birdie and Lewis, for I had become strongly attached to them.  Lewis used often to say that boys never ought to cry; crying, he said, was only for girls and babies; but he must have forgotten himself on this occasion, for he cried bitterly when I bade him good-bye.  As I turned from my pupils, Mrs. Leighton came forward and extended her hand to me.  I could not refuse the hand that had so often administered to the wants of my dying mother.  Neither of us uttered a word.  We shook hands in silence, and I passed from the house, and entered the carriage which was in waiting for me.  There was a family by the name of Burnside, with whom I had been intimate from childhood; to them I intended going, and in a few minutes I was set down at their door.