She was born
a Swiss, and brought up in a wealthy French family, as the
personal attendant of a young lady to whom she became
exceedingly attached. This lady finally married an American
gentleman; and so great was Mrs. Vawse's love to her, that she
left country and family to follow her here. In a few years her
mistress died; she married; and since that time she has been
tossed from trouble to trouble — a perfect sea of troubles —
till now she is left like a wreck upon this mountain top. A
fine wreck she is! I go to see her very often, and next time I
will call for you and we will propose our French plan; nothing
will please her better, I know. By the way, Ellen, are you as
well versed in the other common branches of education as you
are in your mother tongue?"
"What do you mean, Miss Alice?"
"Geography, for instance; do you know it well?"
"Yes, Ma’am; I believe so; I am sure I have studied it till I
am sick of it."
"Can you give me the boundaries of Great Thibet or Peru?"
Ellen hesitated.
"I had rather not try," she said — "I am not sure. I can't
remember those queer countries in Asia and South America, half
so well as Europe and North America."
"Do you know anything about the surface of the country in
Italy or France — the character and condition of the people —
what kind of climate they have, and what grows there most
freely?"
"Why, no, Ma’am," said Ellen; "nobody ever taught me that.
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