30 DOROTHY.

is learning all kinds of things by her strange friendships; for
instance, she often says ‘I done it,’ for ‘I did it.’”

“ And the other day,” replied her mother, “she told me the
cook ‘learned’ her to iron; besides, she is getting a most
remarkable knowledge of slang.”

So to school Miss Dorothy went, and for a time it was hard

work for her, but she was a favorite with her teachers, and
‘rather liked the walk and the importance of carrying books
and a lunch-basket. But spelling was a terrible trial to her,
and she streaked her face with tears and made her nose shine
by the hard rubbing of it while she sniffed over her double
Ws and silent h’s, till one day she said she would not try any
more, she should like to grow up to be a cook like Susan or
a housemaid like Betty; she thought it was nice not to mind
whether you said I done it or I did it, and Miss Townsend
couldn’t learn her anyhow.

“Why, Dorothy,” her mother said, “that is dreadful! You —
do not want your mamma to be ashamed of her little girl, do you?
Besides, it is you who learn, and Miss Townsend who teaches.
Try, daughter, to remember not to say ‘she learned me’ again.”

“Oh, dear!” responded Dorothy, “if I had known what a
hard time I was going to have, I believe I would have died
when Iwasa baby. I don’t see how I am going to learn it all;
Miss Townsend teached me over and over this morning and I
cannot remember. There, mamma! I did say that right. I
didn’t say ‘she learned me’ that time.”