Beadle's Dime Novels No. 38: The Wrong Man — page 32: what you’re looking at

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

$4 THE WRONG MAN. ’ “Eh—what—sir ?” “Why didn’t you come to school yesterday ?” -“ Me and Bili— “ William, you mean. ” “ Me and ‘William was huntin’ hen’s nestes, and Bill—” “ William, remember.” “ And wiles pushed me off the hay-mow and I broke my neck !” “Broke your neck!” exclaimed Nathan Dodge “Who mended it for you ?” “Dad put some salve on it and it got well.” “Very well sir; be more careful after this, Hezekiah.” “ Sir—eh—-what—sir ?” “How much is twice eight.” “ Sixteen,” answered Hezekiah, after a moment's eildetion. “ What's the capital of the United States ?” “ Jefferson.” “ Wrong—think, now, before you answer again.” “ Madison.” “ No, sir; your memory needs jogging, I apprehend. Once more.” “ Then ot must be Franklin.” “No, sir. “ Then Ti bewtienea if it ain't Washington. I knowed it was one of George’s names.” “That'll do; you can go now.” The boy instantly shot out the door and disappeared. “It’s amazing how them boys of your’n improve, Mr. Per-. kings,” said the postmaster, who had not forgotten the en- couraging remark the teacher had made in his favor. Mr. Perkins, looking very dignified, took the compliment as a matter of course. “ But you know we was talkin’ about this man—Mr. Charles Dudley I believe,” added the postmaster, who was anxious keep up the discussion. “T think you've said about enough about your superiors, said Nathan Dodge, rather decidedly. “ Who calls him a s’perior ?’ demanded the shoemaker, sit- ting bolt upright and firing up at these continued insinuations “ Why, J do—superior to you, any day !” cComilchbooks-com -_ a ie « — -