Bellamy's school.
Not only was she timid and shy, but the necessity of being always with
her mother to soothe the paroxysms of distress, had deprived Lilias of
many opportunities of education, and she was therefore far less advanced
in knowledge than most of her companions. Numberless were the
mortifications to which she was obliged to submit on account of her
ignorance, while her timidity and shyness increased in proportion to the
reproofs of her teachers, and the ridicule of her schoolfellows. She at
length came to be regarded as one of those hopelessly dull pupils who
are to be found cumbering the benches of every large school, and but for
her father's wealth and honorable station in society, she would,
probably, have been sent away in disgrace.
Fortunately, Providence raised up for poor Lilias, at this juncture, a
kind friend and patient teacher in a schoolfellow, by the name of
Victorine Horton. This amiable young lady, seeing the trials and
mortifications of this sensitive child, begged Mrs. Bellamy to allow
Lilias to become her room-mate, and she would assist her in her lessons.
Some few weeks after this arrangement took place, Victorine was accosted
thus--
"How can you waste so much time on that _stupid_ child, Miss Horton?"
said one of the teachers. "She does not seem to improve any, with all
your pains; she will never repay your trouble.
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