So, as soon as the teacher discovered the two compositions in Miss -- --'s writing, she came to me to inquire how I got one of Miss -- --'s compositions.

She said, "Where is yours that you wrote for that day ?" Taking it from my portfolio, I replied, "Here it is." She then asked, "Did you copy it from her book ?" I replied, "No; I wrote it myself." "Then why did you not read your own ?" "We agreed to change," said I.
"Did you know that Miss -- -- had copied that from the book of another young lady ?" "No, not until I was accused of doing it myself before the whole school." "Why did you not defend yourself on the spot ?" "I could not speak, neither did I know what to say." "Why have you allowed yourself to remain in such a false position for a whole week ?" "I do not know." "Suppose I had not found this out, did you intend to keep silent ?" "Yes," I replied.
"Did Miss -- -- ask you to do so ?" "Yes." I had been a great favorite with this teacher, but she was so disgusted with my stupidity, as she called my timidity, that she said: "Really, my child, you have not acted in this matter as if you had ordinary common sense." So little do grown people, in familiar surroundings, appreciate the confusion of a child's faculties, under new and trying experiences.

When poor Miss -- --'s turn came to stand up before the whole school and take the burden on her own shoulders she had so cunningly laid on mine, I readily shed the tears for her I could not summon for myself.

This was my first sad lesson in human duplicity.
This episode, unfortunately, destroyed in a measure my confidence in my companions and made me suspicious even of those who came to me with appreciative words.

Up to this time I had accepted all things as they seemed on the surface.