Eight cousins : or, The aunt-hill

SOMETHING TO DO. 257chair and don't say a word till school is ready toopen," ordered Rose, delighted with the prospectsuch a useful and pleasant " something to do."So Phebe sat demurely in her place while her newteacher laid forth books and slates, a pretty inkstandand a little globe ; hastily tore a bit off her big sponge,sharpened pencils with more energy than skill, andwhen all was ready gave a prance of satisfaction thatset the pupil laughing." Now the school is open, and I shall hear you read,so that I may know in which class to put you. MissMoore," began Rose with great dignity, as she laid abook before her scholar, and sat down in the easy chairwith a long rule in her hand.Phebe did pretty well, only trippiug now and thenover a hard word, and pronouncing identical " identickle,"in a sober way that tickled Rose, though nevera smile betrayed her. The spelling lesson which followedwas rather discouraging ; Phebe's ideas of geographywere very vague, and grammar was nowhere,though the pupil protested that she tried so hard to" talk nice like educated folks " that Dolly called her" a stuck-up piece who did n't know her place."" Dolly 's an old goose, so don't you mind her, forshe will say ' nater,' ' vittles,' and ' doos ' as long asshe lives, and insist that they are right. You do talkvery nicely, Phebe, I 've observed it, and grammarwill help you, and show why some things are right andothers ain't, — are not, I mean," added Rose, correctingherself, and feeling thatofshe must mind her own partsof speech if she was to serve as an example forPhebe.When the arithmetic came the little teacher was