the school committee I understand,
gents?" he remarked inquiringly.

"Yes," said Harold, "and we want a teacher for the school at Sharon.
Have you come to apply for the situation?"

"Yes, sir; I heered tell ye was wantin' a superior kind o' male man to
take the school fer the winter, and bein' as I was out o' a job, I
thought I mout as well try my hand at that as enny thin' else."

"Take a seat and let us inquire into your qualifications," said Herbert,
waving his hand in the direction of a vacant chair. "But first tell us
your name and where you are from."

"My name, sir, is Peter Bones, and I come from the town o' Hardtack in
the next county; jest beyant the hill yander. I've a good eddication o'
me own, too, though I never rubbed my back agin a college," remarked the
applicant, sitting down and tilting his chair back on its hind legs,
retaining his balance by holding on to the one occupied by Herbert. "I
kin spell the spellin' book right straight through, sir, from kiver to
kiver."

"But spelling is not the only branch to be taught in the Sharon school,"
said Chester. "What else do you know."

"The three r's, sir; reading, 'ritin,' and 'rithmetic."

"You are acquainted with mathematics!"

"Well, no, not so much with Mathy as with his brother Bill; but I know
him like a book; fact I might say like several books."

"Like several books, eh?" echoed Chester in a sarcastic tone; "but how
well may you be acquainted with the books? What's the meaning of
pathology?"

"The science of road making of course, sir; enny fool could answer such
a question as that."

"Could he, indeed? Well you've made a miss, for your answer is wide of
the mark."

"How wide is the Atlantic ocean?" asked Herbert.

"'Bout a thousand miles."

"Another miss; it's three thousand."

"I know it useter to be, years ago, but they've got to crossin' it so
quick now that you needn't tell me it's more'n a thousand."

"In what year was the Declaration of Independence signed?" asked Harold.

"Wall now, I don't jist remember," returned the applicant, thrusting
both hands deep into his pockets and gazing down meditatively at the
carpet, "somewheres 'bout 1860, wuzn't it? no, come to think, I guess
'twas '63."

"No, no, no! you are thinking of the proclamation of emancipation.
Another miss. We don't find you qualified for the situation; so wish you
good day, sir."

"Ah, ah! ah, ah! um h'm, um h'm! so I should say," soliloquized Mr.
Lilbur