30 Turnaside Cottage.

I felt inclined the next day to hasten on the
afternoon by eating my dinner much too early, as
on the first day of my cow-herding. But my lady,
as I had begun to call her, came at last, and brought
me a book containing not only Noah but many
other Bible pictures, and gave it me for my very
own. She told me the story of Noah and the flood,
and then, taking a card with the alphabet printed
on it out of her pocket, she asked me whether I
would not like to learn my letters, that I might be
able to read the stories for myself.

T agreed eagerly ; but what a mysterious science
did it seem to me, as I bent over the queer
black marks, trying to learn their names’ and
shapes. But it was all a puzzle, and before long
the black marks began to dance and dazzle, be-
wildering me more than ever; and then the lady
put an end to the lesson, promising to come again
to-morrow.

The possession of a book all my own was too
wonderful a thing to be kept to myself, and, as I
saw by the cart under the shed that my father was
at home, I rushed in, as soon as I had seen Monna
to her stall, holding up the book, and crying, “ See,
father ; see here what I’ve got! look what a pretty
book my lady has given me!”

“Yes, yes, child, very nice,” said my father,