Jessie by Walter Aimwell — Read

The twentieth of May at length came, and the academic term closed with a searching examination of the several classes. It went a little deeper than faces or dresses, and revealed to the assembled magnates of the town something of the daily habits, the intellectual standing and the private character of each pupil. The result, as a whole, was quite favorable to the institution, and there were very few of the scholars who positively reflected no credit upon it. It was evident enough where the blame lay, in these cases-the school register told the story.

Mr. Upton invited his assistants, Marcus and Jessie, to take tea with him, at the close of the examination. They accepted the invitation, and after an hour or two, passed very pleasantly with their friend, Marcus proposed to return home, as he had business to attend to. Mr. Upton said that, as he had been closely confined through the day, he thought the fresh air would do him good, so he proposed to walk home with them. As soon as they came in sight of Mrs. Page's house, an unusual display of lights attracted attention, and set them to conjecturing what it could mean. On entering the house, however, the mystery was quickly explained. All the scholars of the academy were there, and, with smiling faces and words of welcome, pressed forward to greet the new comers. The trustees, too, were soon discovered in the background, quietly enjoying the scene.