and don't talk flummery to me; you know I can't stand
it."

The two passed on, and Peggy's ears burned uncomfortably. Evidently
Vivia Varnham had taken a violent dislike to her; well, she certainly
returned it. And of course that would prevent her from ever seeing much
of the other, sweet pretty thing. Well, of course she should have to be
alone most of the time. She went to the window again, and saw the two
V's climbing in; then there was a great shouting and waving of
handkerchiefs, and they drove away. Peggy sighed, and sat down once more
to her task. It was rhetoric, and her whole nature cried out against it;
but the study was prescribed, and the teacher, Miss Pugsley, was
reported to be very strict. Peggy put her elbows on the table, and her
head on her hands, and bent in good earnest over the book.

"'Both prepositions and conjunctions are called connectives.'

"Oh, dear! then why can't we _call_ them connectives, and have one word
to remember, instead of three?

"'When I say the hen barks'--why, that makes nonsense! Oh, I got two
lines mixed up. 'When I say the dog barks, I speak of some particular
dog.' Well, anybody can see that. Oh, I do wonder if Flora will remember
to wash Peter's ear, where he had the canker! It was almost well, but
still it will need washing. Dear Peter! dear dogs! they will miss me, I
know they will. If one could only have a dog here, it wouldn't be half
so bad. I could have a basket for him to sleep in, you know, and then in
the morning he would get up on the bed, and we'd have a beautiful time.
There's a dog barking now! He wants to be let in, poor dear! How
perfectly idiotic some people are, not to know what a dog wants. I
remember that stupid man at home beating poor Peter,--beating him with a
hoe, when all the time Peter was telling him that a tramp was stealing
the melons. Yes; but when Petie saw that the man was an idiot, he went
and attended to the tramp himself, and you never saw a tramp so scared
in your life. Oh, dear! well!

"'He was in the room, and went out of it.' I wish I could go out of this
room; but I don't know where I should go to. Bertha went, of course,
with the others. If it wasn't for Bertha, I really don't think I could
possibly stay here."

A knock at the door; and Bertha's square, cheerful face looked in. "Any
chance to study here? there's something the matter with my lamp,
why,--Peggy!"

For Peggy had jumped up and thrown her arms around her friend's