How Wille Learned to Read, 61

how fast he was learning ; and when about a fort-
night after he had begun, she was able to take him
in hand, she found, to her astonishment, that he
could read a great many words, but that, when she
wished him to spell one, he had not the least notion
what she meant.

“Isn't that a 0?” she said, wishing to help him
to find out a certain word for himself.

“T don’t know,” answered Willie, “It’s not the
busy bee,” he added, laughing ;—“I should know
him. It must be the lazy one, I suppose.”

“Don’t you know your letters?” asked his
mother,

“No, mamma. Which arethey? Are the rest
yours and papa’s?”

“Oh, you silly dear!” she said.

“Of course lam!” he returned ;—“ very silly!
How could any of them be mine before I know the
names of them! When I know them all, then
they ll all be mine, I suppose—-and everybody
else’s who knows them.—So that’s Mr B—is
it?”

“Yes. And that’s C,” said his mother.

“T’m glad to see you, Mr C,” said Willie, mer-
rily, nodding to the letter. “We. shall know each
other when we meet again.—I suppose this is D,
mamma. How d’e do, Mr D? And what’s this
one with its mouth open, and half its tongue cut
off?”