To be taken from such freedom, her feet
shod, her body restricted by as much clothing as ever had been worn
on Sunday, shut up in a schoolroom, and set to droning over books,
most of which she detested, was the worst punishment ever inflicted
upon her she declares. She hated mathematics in any form and spent
all her time on natural science, language, and literature. "Friday
afternoon," writes Mrs. Porter, "was always taken up with an
exercise called `rhetoricals,' a misnomer as a rule, but let that
pass. Each week pupils of one of the four years furnished
entertainment for the assembled high school and faculty. Our
subjects were always assigned, and we cordially disliked them. This
particular day I was to have a paper on `Mathematical Law.'
"I put off the work until my paper had been called for several
times, and so came to Thursday night with excuses and not a line.
I was told to bring my work the next morning without fail. I went
home in hot anger. Why in all this beautiful world, would they not
allow me to do something I could do, and let any one of four
members of my class who revelled in mathematics do my subject? That
evening I was distracted. `I can't do a paper on mathematics, and
I won't!' I said stoutly; `but I'll do such a paper on a subject I
can write about as will open their foolish eyes and make them see
how wrong they are.'"
Before me on the table lay the book I loved, the most wonderful
story in which was `Picciola' by Saintine.
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