68 Rather Uppish.

thought to entice him to make
strokes,and pothooks, and round O’s,
and so to make him begin writing
without knowing what he was doing.

But it did not often answer ; for
Master Johnny, who had a_ very
sturdy wrist of his own, very much
preferred showing off his strength by
scribbling with all his might all over
the slate until he had made it quite
white.

He thought he was learning
though, for all that, and perhaps he
was learning to get a certain mastery
over his pencil.

Very serious and earnest he was,
too, in doing whatever he set his
mind upon, though at present he