[Sidenote: Meddling]
Louis Gannin came into his first year of school life with a surplus of
interest in whatever struck his senses. His movements were very rapid,
his attention was fluctuating and his hand deft in opening boxes and
other receptacles for articles of any sort.
“Louis, is that you?” said his teacher one morning. He was visible only
as a mass of child’s garments, for he stood doubled up over a pile of
rubbish in a hall closet.
And so it was on many occasions, until Miss Vanderlip broke down in
despair:
“Louis, I think you must have looked at everything there is in this
whole school building by this time. I have told you not to get into
things and still you do it. What shall I do with you, anyway?”
Louis looked down at his shoes in undisturbed innocence.
“I know what I’ll do with you. I’ll just tie your hands together for a
long time, so as to teach you not to get into things. How’ll you like
that? Then you’ll be like a prisoner with handcuffs.”
Louis did not know very much about handcuffs or prisoners, nor could he
help but wonder how it would feel to have his hands tied together. He
meekly let the matter rest because teacher was apparently not in a very
good mood.