as not among them. Catou was at their head. They silently bowed. The
schoolmaster as silently responded. The visitors huddled together.
They came a step nearer.

"Well," said Catou, "we come to see you."

"Sirs, welcome to Gran' Point' school.--Sidonie, Crebiche, Claude,
rest in yo' seats."

"Mo' betteh you tu'n 'em loose, I t'ink," said Catou amiably; "ain't
it?"

"I rather they stay," replied Bonaventure. All sat down. There was a
sustained silence, and then Catou said with quiet abruptness:

"We dawn't want no mo' school!"

"From what cause?"

"'Tain't no use."

"Sir--sirs, no use? 'Tis every use! The schoolhouse? 'tis mo' worth
than the gole mine. Ah! sirs, tell me: what is gole without
education?"

They confronted the riddle for a moment.

"Ed'cation want to change every thin'--rellroad--'migrash'n."

"Change every thing? Yes!--making every thing better! Sirs, where is
that country that the people are sorry that the railroad and the
schoolhouse have come?" Again the riddle went unanswered; but Catou
sat as if in meditation, looking to one side, and presently said:

"I t'ink dass all humbug, dat titchin' English. What want titch
English faw?"

"Sir," cried Bonaventure, "in America you mus' be American! Three
Acadians have been governor of Louisiana! What made them thus to
become?" He leaned forward and smote his hands together. "What was it?
'Twas English education!"

The men were silent again. Catou pushed his feet out, and looked at
his shoes, put on for the occasion. Presently--

"Yass," he said, in an unconvinced tone; "yass, dass all right: but
how we know you titch English? Nobody can't tell you titchin' him
right or no."

"And yet--I do! And the time approach when you shall know! Sirs, I
make to you a p'oposition. Time is passing. It must be soon the State
Sup'inten'ent Public Education visit this school. The school is any
time ready. Since long time are we waiting. He shall come--he shall
examine! The chil'run shall be ignorant this arrangement! Only these
shall know--Claude, Sidonie, Crebiche; they will not disclose! And the
total chil'run shall exhibit all their previous learning! And welcome
the day, when the ad_ver_saries of education shall see those dear
chil'run stan' up befo' the assem'led Gran' Point' spelling co'ectly
words of one to eight syllable' and _reading from their readers_! And
if one miss--if _one_--_one!_ miss, then let the school be shut and
the schoolmaster banish