Two little boys and two little girls came forward as Elizabeth Ann began to con over the words on the board. At first she found she was listening to the little, chirping voices, as the children straggled with their reading, instead of studying “doubt, travel, cheese,” and the other words in her lesson. But she put her hands over her ears, and her mind on her spelling. She wanted to make a good impression with that lesson. After a while, when she was sure she could spell them all correctly, she began to listen and look around her. She always “got” her spelling in less time than was allowed the class, and usually sat idle, looking out of the window until that study period was over. But now the moment she stopped staring at the board and moving her lips as she spelled to herself the teacher said, just as though she had been watching her every minute instead of conducting a class, “Betsy, have you learned your spelling?” “Yes, ma’am, I think so,” said Elizabeth Ann, wondering very much why she was asked. “That’s fine,” said the teacher. “I wish you’d take little Molly over in that corner and help her with her reading. She’s getting on so much better than the rest of the class that I hate to have her lose her time. Just hear her read the rest of her little story, will you, and don’t help her unless she’s really stuck.” Elizabeth Ann was startled by this request, which was unheard of in her experience. She was very uncertain of herself as she sat down on a low chair in the corner of the schoolroom away from the desks, with the little child leaning on her knee. And yet she was not exactly afraid, either, because Molly was such a shy little roly-poly thing, with her crop of yellow curls, and her bright blue eyes very serious as she looked hard at the book and began: “Once there was a rat. It was a fat rat.” No, it was impossible to be frightened of such a funny little girl, who peered so earnestly into the older child’s face to make sure she was doing her lesson right. Elizabeth Ann had never had anything to do with children younger than herself, and she felt very pleased and important to have anybody look up to HER! She put her arm around Molly’s square, warm, fat little body and gave her a squeeze. Molly snuggled up closer; and the two children put their heads together over the printed page, Elizabeth Ann correcting Molly very gently indeed when she made a mistake, and waiting patiently when she hesitated. She had so fresh in her mind her own suffering from quick, nervous corrections that she took the greatest pleasure in speaking quietly and not interrupting the little girl more than was necessary. It was fun to teach, LOTS of fun! She was surprised when the teacher said, “Well, Betsy, how did Molly do?” “Oh, is the time up?” said Elizabeth Ann. “Why, she does beautifully, I think, for such a little thing.”