All in a garden fair; the simple story of three boys ... - University Library

lo8 ALL IN A GARDEN FAIR.
' Behold,' lie went on to the astonished boys,
' the irony of fate ! I, wlio love all women,
because they are women ;
I wlio would beheve
them faultless—have to spend my life in find-
ing out tlie faults of undeveloped woman
Girl. I would yive them nothing but pleasure,
yet I give them continual pain. It seemed to
me, at first, incredible. Dionysius certainly
became a schoolmaster, but he had alleviations.
He was allowed to teach boys. He could
therefore flog them, whip them, beat them,
reward them with good strokes of foot and
hand. You cannot beat— Girl. You may
not throw books at—Girl. You must not
sufler yourself to grow angry with—Girl. If
you do, she laughs ; she rejoices ; she triumphs.
Such, my friend, is the true disposition of
Girl.'
On the subject of Girl he was eloquent,
even after twenty yeai-s of teaching. Time,
the great consoler, could not reconcile him
with his occupation.
' I was at first,' he said, * unhappy and