his little boy had learned all his letters;
for she threw down this alphabet mixed together thus:

b d f h k m o q s u w y z a c e g i l n p r t v x j

and he picked them up, called them by their right names, and put them
all in order thus:

a b c d e f g h i j k l m n o p q r s t u v w x y z.

The next place we came to was Farmer Simpson's. "Bow, bow, bow," said
the dog at the door.

"Sirrah," said his mistress, "why do you bark at Little Two-Shoes? Come
in, Madge; here, Sally wants you sadly; she has learned all her lesson."

Then out came the little one.

"So, Madge!" says she.

"So, Sally!" answered the other. "Have you learned your lesson?"

"Yes, that's what I have," replied the little one in the country manner;
and immediately taking the letters she set up these syllables:

ba be bi bo bu, ca ce ci co cu,
da de di do du, fa fe fi fo fu,

and gave them their exact sounds as she composed them.

After this, Little Two-Shoes taught her to spell words of one syllable,
and she soon set up pear, plum, top, ball, pin, puss, dog, hog, fawn,
buck, doe, lamb, sheep, ram, cow, bull, cock, hen, and many more.

The next place we came to was Gaffer Cook's cottage. Here a number of
poor children were met to learn. They all came round Little Margery at
once; and, having pulled out her letters, she asked the little boy next
her what he had for dinner. He answered, "Bread." (The poor children in
many places live very hard.) "Well, then," said she, "set the first
letter."

He put up the letter _B_, to which the next added _r_, and the next _e_,
the next _a_, the next _d_ and it stood thus, "_Bread_".

"And what had you, Polly Comb, for your dinner?" "Apple-pie," answered
the little girl: upon which the next in turn set up a great _A_, the two
next a _p_ each, and so on until the two words _Apple_ and _pie_ were
united and stood thus, "_Apple-pie_."

The next had Potatoes, the next Beef and Turnips, which were spelt, with
many others, until the game of spelling was finished. She then set them
another task, and we went on.

The next place we came to was Farmer Thompson's, where there were a
great many little ones waiting for her.

"So, little Mrs. Goody Two-Shoes," said one of them. "Where have you
been so long?"

"I have been teaching," says she, "longer than I intended, and am afraid
I am come too soon for you now."

"No, but indeed you are not," replied the other, "fo