Y at their sides, came out and stood a-row. The master turned to the visitor. "Now, commencing wherever, even at the foot if desired! ask, sir, if you please, any English word of one syllable,
of however difficult!" "No matter how difficult?" "Well, they are timid, as you see; advance by degrees." "Very well, then," said the visitor with much kindness of tone; "I will ask the little boy at this end"-- "At the foot--but--still, 'tis well. Only--ah, Crebiche! every thing depend! Be prepared, Crebiche!" "Yes," said the stranger; "I will ask him to spell hoss." The child drew himself up rigidly, pointed his stiffened fingers down his thighs, rounded his pretty red mouth, and said slowly, in a low, melodious, distinct voice:-- "'O-double eth, awth." Bonaventure leapt from the platform and ran to the child. "_Ah! mon p'tit garcon_--ah! my lil boy! 'O-double eth, listten, my chile. O, sir, he did not hear the word precisely. Listten, my chile, to yo' teacher! remember that his honor and the school's honor is in yo' spelling!" He drew back a step, poised himself, and gave the word. It came like an anchor-chain crashing through a hawse-hole. "Or-r-r-r-rus-seh!" And the child, winking at vacancy in the intensity of his attention, spelled:-- "Haich-o-r-eth-e, 'Orthe." The breathless audience, leaning forward, read the visitor's commendation in his face. Bonaventure, beaming upon him, extended one arm, the other turned toward the child, and cried, shaking both hands tremulously:-- "Another! another word! another to the same!" "Mouse," said the stranger, and Bonaventure turned and cried:-- "Mah-ooseh! my nob'e lil boy! Mah-ooseh!" and Crebiche, a speaking statue, spelled:-- "M-o-u-eth-e, mouthe." "Co'ect, my chile! And yet, sir, and yet, 'tis he that they call Crebiche, because like the crawfish advancing backwardly. But to the next! another word! another word!" The spelling, its excitements, its moments of agonizing suspense, and its triumphs, went on. The second class is up. It spells in two, even in three, syllables. Toutou
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