Gratia's Trials — page 167: what you’re looking at

Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.

158 | GRATIA’S TRIALS. body cares about those dry, fusty old languages nowadays. Arithmetic, and algebra, and botany, and such—them is the studies I and Mr. Pennilon approves of.” ‘©T could teach those,” said Gratia. ‘‘And grammar, and spelling-book, and the siphaber:| for little Francis. My youngest has always been a delicate child, and we haven’t put him to his book.” ‘‘Certainly,” said Gratia. ‘‘ How old is he?” ‘©Oh, he’s nine,” said Mrs. Pennilon. ‘‘ But he has always disliked learning. I hope you will make it more attractive to him than his other instructors have done.” ‘T will try,” said Gratia. SAgh ‘““And the piano?” said Mrs. Pennilon. ‘‘ My Roswell— he’s the second child—he has the greatest.taste for music. You should hear him play ‘ Dixie’ with one finger; and he has picked it up entirely by ear.” | ‘‘T] can teach the elements of music,” said Gratia. ‘‘T want him to learn tunes BF once, yack Mrs. Pennilon. ‘«T never did like dry exercises.’ ‘Very well,” assented Gratia. ‘‘Of course I should put myself at once under your direction in all these matters.” ‘“Of course—of course,” said Mrs. Pennilon. ‘‘Them that pays should judge—that’s my and Pennilon’s motto. But that ain't the most important thing. Can you speak French ?” ‘“¢ Ves, madam.” ‘« Because it is very essential that our governess should be an efficient in the French language. J, and Pennilon, and the boys go to Europe next month.” | “Indeed ?” | “Yes,” said Mrs. Pennilon; ‘‘and as we are none of us no great hands at picking up a Graxn language, you will be of use.” | | All Mrs. Pennilon’s questions having been satisfactorily an- -swered, the question of salary was broached. » Ass comicbooks.com—