Page:Over the river, and other poems.djvu/28

22 I knew her when, in 1858, she was a pupil of Professor Ward, at Powers Institute, Bernardston, Mass. She was rather a shy, quiet girl, very much absorbed in her studies, but always pleasant and obliging. My most prominent recollection of her is of a grave little figure bending persistently over a book, with a profusion of black curls falling around, and almost hiding, her intellectual face. I had always the impression that she had a different motive for study from many of her younger and gayer companions; that she either loved knowledge for its own sake, or had reached that age of experience where she realized the true value of education and culture. I think few of the scholars knew of her literary reputation. The first intimation I had of it was at the close of the fall term. Hon. H. W. Cushman, at one time lieutenant governor of Massachusetts, had offered the young ladies connected with the school a prize for the best original essay, and she was one of the competitors. Rev. Mr. Ranney, in his speech before awarding the prizes, said it was honor enough for the writer of ' Schoolhouses, Primitive and Modern,' to be the ' Lizzie Lincoln ' of ' The Republican.' I shared the genuine surprise of most of her fellow-students. We all knew ' Lizzie Lincoln's ' poetry, but had not dreamed that she was one of our happy band. I remember how the blood crimsoned her face and neck as all eyes turned towards her, and what a new interest the familiar face had for me. I felt that, although we had all loved and respected, few of us had appreciated her at her real worth. She has found appreciation since in thousands of hearts and homes."

From the time of leaving the school in Bernardston her home was with her parents in Winchendon, and the years passed by, without any event of special interest,