CHAPTER V. THE UNCLE

oaclose—soonerthanIeitherexpectedordesiredforonesweeteveningtowardsthecloseofMay,asIwasrejoicinginthenearapproachoftheholidays,andcongratulatingmyselfuponhavingmadesomeprogresswithmypupils(asfarastheirlearningwent,atleast,forIhadinstilledsomethingintotheirheads,andIhad,atlength,broughtthemtobealittle—averylittle—morerationalaboutgettingtheirlessonsdoneintimetoleavesomespaceforrecreation,insteadoftormentingthemselvesandmealldaylongtonopurpose),Mrs.Bloomfieldsentforme,andcalmlytoldmethatafterMidsummermyserviceswouldbenolongerrequired.SheassuredmethatmycharacterandgeneralconductwereunexceptionablebutthechildrenhadmadesolittleimprovementsincemyarrivalthatMr.Bloomfieldandshefeltittheirdutytoseeksomeothermodeofinstruction.Thoughsuperiortomostchildrenoftheiryearsinabilities,theyweredecidedlybehindtheminattainmentstheirmannerswereuncultivated,andtheirtempersunruly.Andthissheattributedtoawantofsufficientfirmness,anddiligent,perseveringcareonmypart. Unshakenfirmness,devoteddiligence,unweariedperseverance,unceasingcare,weretheveryqualificationsonwhichIhadsecretlypridedmyselfandbywhichIhadhopedintimetoovercomealldifficulties,andobtainsuccessatlast.Iwishedtosaysomethinginmyownjustificationbutinattemptingtospeak,Ifeltmyvoicefalterandratherthantestifyanyemotion,orsufferthetearstooverflowthatwerealreadygatheringinmyeyes,Ichosetokeepsilence,andbearalllikeaself-convictedculprit. ThuswasIdismissed,andthusIsoughtmyhome.Alas!whatwouldtheythinkofme?unable,afterallmyboasting,tokeepmyplace,evenforasingleyear,asgovernesstothreesmallchildren,whosemotherwasassertedbymyownaunttobea“verynicewoman.”Havingbeenthusweighedinthebalanceandfoundwanting,Ineednothopetheywouldbewillingtotrymeagain.Andthiswasanunwelcomethoughtforvexed,harassed,disappointedasIhadbeen,andgreatlyasIhadlearnedtoloveandvaluemyhome,Iwasnotyetwearyofadventure,norwillingtorelaxmyefforts.IknewthatallparentswerenotlikeMr.andMrs.Bloomfield,andIwascertainallchildrenwerenotliketheirs.Thenextfamilymustbedifferent,andanychangemustbeforthebetter.Ihadbeenseasonedbyadversity,andtutoredbyexperience,andIlongedtoredeemmylosthonourintheeyesofthosewhoseopinionwasmorethanthatofalltheworldtome.