sides of the room. Now then!
Piano, pl--no, I do not wish the piano! As you all know, this is the
last lesson of the season until next October. Tomorrow is our special
afternoon; beginning three o'clock, we dance the cotillon. But this
afternoon comes the test of mannerss. You must see if each know how to
make a little formal call like a grown-up people in good societies. You
have had good, perfect instruction; let us see if we know how to perform
like societies ladies and gentlemen twenty-six years of age.

"Now, when you're dismissed each lady will go to her home and prepare to
receive a call. The gentlemen will allow the ladies time to reach their
houses and to prepare to receive callers; then each gentleman will call
upon a lady and beg the pleasure to engage her for a partner in the
cotillon to-morrow. You all know the correct, proper form for these
calls, because didn't I work teaching you last lesson till I thought
I would drop dead? Yes! Now each gentleman, if he reach a lady's house
behind some-other gentleman, then he must go somewhere else to a lady's
house, and keep calling until he secures a partner; so, as there are the
same number of both, everybody shall have a partner.

"Now please all remember that if in case--Mister Penrod Schofield, when
you make your call on a lady I beg you to please remember that gentlemen
in good societies do not scratch the back in societies as you appear to
attempt; so please allow the hands to rest carelessly in the lap. Now
please all remember that if in case--Mister Penrod Schofield, if you
please! Gentlemen in societies do not scratch the back by causing
frictions between it and the back of your chair, either! Nobody else is
itching here! _I_ do not itch! I cannot talk if you must itch! In the
name of Heaven, why must you always itch? What was I saying? Where ah!
the cotillon--yes! For the cotillon it is important nobody shall fail
to be here tomorrow; but if any one should be so very ill he cannot
possible come he must write a very polite note of regrets in the form
of good societies to his engaged partner to excuse himself--and he must
give the reason.

"I do not think anybody is going to be that sick to-morrow--no; and I
will find out and report to parents if anybody would try it and not be.
But it is important for the cotillon that we have an even number of so
many couples, and if it should happen that someone comes and her partner
has sent her a polite note that he h