"If I teach writing? To such with desks, yes. 'Twould be to all but for the privation of desks. You perceive how we have here nothing less than a desk famine. Madelaine! Claude! Sidonie!--present copy-book'! Sir, do you not think every chile should be provided a desk?--Ah! I knew 'twould be yo' verdic'. But how great trouble I have with that subjec'! Me, I think yes; but the parents,"--he looked tenderly over among them,--"they contend no. Now, sir, here are three copy-books. Inspect; criticise. No, commence rather, if you please, with the copy-book of Madelaine; then _p'oceed_ to the copy-book of Claude, and finally conclude at the copy-book of Sidonie; thus rising by degrees: good, more good, most good." "How about," asked the stranger, with a smile, as he turned the leaves, "about Toutou and Crebiche; don't they write?" "Ah! sir," said Bonaventure, half to the stranger and half to the assemblage, "they write, yes; but--they ah yet in the pot-hook and chicken-track stage. And now, chil'run, in honor of our eminent friend's visitation, and of the excellence with which you have been examine', I p'onounce the _exhibition_ finish'--dispensing with 'Twink', twink' lil stah.' And now, in the book of the best writing scholar in the school--you, sir, deciding that intricacy--shall now be written the name of the eminent frien' of learning hereinbefo' confronting.--Claude! a new pen!" The stranger made his choice among the books. "Chil'run, he has select' the book of Sidonie!" Bonaventure reached and swung a chair into place at his desk. The visitor sat down. Bonaventure stood over him, gazing down at the hand that poised the pen. The silence was profound. "Chil'run--sh-sh-sh!" said the master, lifting his left arm but not his eyes. The stranger wrote a single initial. "G! chil'run; G!--Sir, does it not signify George?" "Yes," murmured the writer; "it stands for George." He wrote another. "W! my chil'run; George W!--Sir, does it not sig--_My_ chil'run! George Washington! George Washington, my chil'run! George Washington, the father of his country! My chil'run and fellow-citizen' of Gran' Point', he is nominated for George Washington, the father of his country! Sir, ah you not a relation?" "I really can't tell you," said the writer, with a calm smile. "I've always been too busy to look it up." He finished his signature as he talked. Bonaventure bent over it. "Tar-box. Chil'run and friends and fellow-citizen', I have the p'oudness to int'oduce you the hono'able George Washington Tarbox! And now the exhibition is dismiss'; but stop! Sir, if some--aw all--desire gratefully to shake hand'?" "I should feel honored." "Attention, everybody! Make rank! Everybody by two by two, the school-chil'run coming last,--Claude and Sidonie resting till the end,--pass 'round--shake hand'--walk out--similah a fu-nial."