During the evening, Mr. Rhythm, noticing that Michael sang without any variation of tone, said, "Now, Master Murphy, please sing _la_ with me";--and Michael sang bravely, not frightened in the least. "Very well. Now please sing it a little higher." "_La_," sang Michael on the same pitch, but louder. "Not louder, but higher." "LA!" responded Michael, still louder, but with the pitch unchanged. There was tittering among the girls. "Not so, but thus,"--and Mr. Rhythm gave an example, first low, then high. "Now once more." "LA!" bellowed Michael on the same pitch. Daphne Dare giggled aloud, and the laughter, like a train of powder, ran through the girls' seats over to the boys' side of the house, where it exploded in a loud haw! haw! Michael laughed with the others, but he did not know what for. Recess came. "Halloo, Grandpa! How are you, Old Pensioner? Your coat puckers under the arms, and there is a wrinkle in the back," said Philip Funk to Paul. His sister Fanny pointed her finger at him; and Paul heard her whisper to one of the girls, "Did you ever see such a monkey?" It nettled him, and so, losing his temper, he said to Philip, "Mind your business." "Just hear Grandaddy Parker, the old gentleman in the bob-tailed coat," said Philip. "You are a puppy," said Paul. But he was vexed with himself for having said it. If he had held his tongue, and kept his temper, and braved the sneers of Philip in silence, he might have won a victory; for he remembered a Sunday-school lesson upon the text, "He that ruleth his spirit is greater than he that taketh a city." As it was, he had suffered a defeat, and went home that night disgusted with himself. Pleasant were those singing-school evenings. Under Mr. Rhythm's instructions the young people made rapid progress. Then what fine times they had at recess, eating nuts, apples, and confectionery, picking out the love-rhymes from the sugar-cockles! "I cannot tell the love I feel for you, my dove." was Philip's gift to Azalia. Paul had no money to purchase sweet things at the store; his presents were nuts which he had gathered in the autumn. In the kindness of his heart he gave a double-handful to Philip's sister, Fanny; but she turned up her nose, and let them drop upon the floor.