a look of
trouble on the face of the schoolmistress. She was looking far off on
the distant fields, and was surely trying to think something out. At
length she said, slowly and distinctly:

"It would not be best, little maiden, for you to enter the classes with
other young persons of your age, for they would be too far beyond you in
their studies. Nor can I feel it would do to enter you with A, B, C
scholars, for they would be much younger, and smaller in stature than
yourself.

"But I like not to send away either lad or maid who desires greatly to
learn. Twice a week, I go a few miles to pay a short visit to a sister
who is lame; if then you will come promptly of a Wednesday and Saturday
afternoon, when school does not keep, and look gently after my aged
mother, and also do a little plain sewing,--for I like not that the
hands should be idle,--I will on other evenings of the week lend you
books and faithfully teach you to read well, write, and spell."

Sally almost forgot her fear and cried out, "Oh, thank you, thank you,
good Mistress Kent! I will indeed take good care of the aged mother,
and do the sewing with a careful eye."

And then, as if unable to help it, she ran forward and put a kiss on the
teacher's thin neck.

The spinster flushed rosy red and said, in a voice that trembled:

"There, there, child, that will do, be not overmuch thankful for what it
pleaseth me to do, but come on Wednesday of next week, and we will
proceed to help each other."

Sally wandered toward home as if in a dream. For, lo! so easily had she
already found a way to learn. And perfectly happy she would have been,
had not a voice said grimly within her:

"But you have not yet reckoned with Mistress Cory Ann Brace!"

It was then Thursday, and nearly a week would Sally have in which to
settle matters. And the next Saturday, after cleaning kitchen, steps,
and shed with much care, she said to Mistress Cory Ann that twice a week
she had the chance to go to Mistress Kent of the dame school in the
afternoon to do her some service, and that evenings she was to be taught
by the schoolmistress.

Then it was that Mistress Cory Ann blazed forth, and poor Sally felt her
hopes dying down under her wrath. Indeed! had she not seen the slicking
up, the rigging and the putting about to make herself fine? Not a step
should she go to Mistress Kent to be taught book-learning!

"Have I not clothed and fed you, ungrateful girl," she cried, "but off