When 'Lisbeth's mother came home from the mill and found out how matters
were going; when 'Lisbeth came home in Dickon's suit, from hunting for
gold, she felt very certain that 'Lisbeth was not as good as many little
girls were, and this made her sigh very deeply. Then she tried to think
how to make her better; she scarcely knew how to begin, but she thought
the best way, perhaps, would be to send her to school with Gorham, and
let Dickon, who was a better "minder" than 'Lisbeth, take care of
Trotty.
'Lisbeth was not pleased at all. She did not think she would like to go
to school, but her mother did not ask her opinion; it was not worth
while.
'Lisbeth went to school the next morning. The school teacher smiled at
'Lisbeth when she came in. 'Lisbeth did not smile; she looked very
serious indeed.
"How do you do, my dear?" said the teacher.
"I do what I like, ma'am, most times," said 'Lisbeth. This was very
improper, but 'Lisbeth did not know it; she believed she had answered
correctly.
[Illustration]
Miss Pritchet was not pleased, she only said, "Sit down, my dear," and
'Lisbeth sat down.
By and by Miss Pritchet told 'Lisbeth to come stand by her, and 'Lisbeth
came.
"What have you been learning, little girl?" inquired Miss Pritchet.
"I've been learning the way all around the country, and how to spike
minnows in the mill race, and--"
"Tut, tut!" said Miss Pritchet. "I mean have you been learning to read
and write and spell?"
"No 'm, I never learned those at all, only to spell."
"Then you will like to learn I know; you will like to learn lessons."
"Is there anything about London in 'm?"
"About London?"
"Yes 'm. London is a hundred miles away. I learned that a time ago."
"When you can read you can learn more about London if you wish to; you
will find it in the books."
"Yes 'm I want to," said Lisbeth. "I wish to live there."
"You must learn to be satisfied where you are," said Miss Pritchet; "you
must not want to go to London."
"I mean to."
"I thought you were a good little girl; good little girls are satisfied
here."
"Are they?"
"Yes, they are; you must be satisfied here."
"But I don't mean to be."
"Oh!" said Miss Pritchet.
"I mean to get to London very fast," continued 'Lisbeth.
"Little girls who do not like to live where they find themselves often
come to great trouble," said Miss Pritchet, with the corners of her
mouth all drawn down.
"Maybe I may like to grow where I find myself when I get to London,"
said 'Lisbeth a little despairingly.
"You are not a very good little girl, I am afraid," said Miss Pritchet,
but 'Lisbeth could not think why Miss Pritchet said such a thing.
"Get your book now and come spell."
"Yes 'm," said 'Lisbeth, like the best little girl that ever was.
"Can you spell?"
"Yes 'm. Is London in this book? it begins with an L."
"Tut! tut!" said Miss Pritchet, "let me hear you spell that line."
'Lisbeth spelled, she spelled better than Miss Pritchet had imagined.
"That is a nice little girl. Now take your book and go learn this next
line."
'Lisbeth took the book and sat down to spell. She got along nicely for a
little way; then she came to the word aisle. She did not like the
appearance of it. She did not like it at all. She ran up to Miss
Pritchet's desk.
"What does this spell?" she inquired.
"That is aisle," said Miss Pritchet.
"Aisle!" repeated 'Lisbeth; "I do not like spelling aisle with a i s l
e; I like i l e."
"Hush, my dear."
"But I don't like it," persisted 'Lisbeth. "If I don't like it I don't."
"Go and sit down at once," commanded Miss Pritchet.
'Lisbeth went and sat down. She learned every word but aisle. 'Lisbeth
was a very foolish little girl not to learn aisle.
"Come here, my dear," said Miss Pritchet; she gave 'Lisbeth the words.
'Lisbeth spelled them very well. Then said Miss Pritchet, "aisle--"
"I did not learn it," said 'Lisbeth. "I said I did not like it and I
don't."
"But you must learn it, if you like it or not."
"I must?" said 'Lisbeth, in astonishment.
"Of course you must; we all must do a great many things which we do not
like."
"I don't mean to," said 'Lisbeth.
Miss Pritchet was astonished.
"You must."
"What must I do beside learning to spell aisle?"
"Nothing now!"
"Oh," said 'Lisbeth, reassured; "I thought you said we must all do a
great many things."
"Go sit down this minute," commanded Miss Pritchet, and 'Lisbeth sat
down, and she learned aisle, but she did not get home until very late,
because Miss Pritchet said that such a very improperly behaved child
should never go home at a proper time, from her school; but 'Lisbeth
could not see, with all her trying, what she had been improper about.
Had she learned aisle, though she did not want to? Certainly she had.
Besides being perplexed about this, she was a little vexed with Miss
Pritchet about something else. She had been given to understand that
there was something about London in the books. She had been spelling
words half the day and had not come to London. She spelled and spelled,
but did not come to London. She felt herself imposed upon; she felt
herself very much imposed upon.
"Please find London," asked 'Lisbeth at length of Miss Pritchet.
"London indeed? Not for such an improper little girl. You must stop
thinking about London, I say. You will be sorry if you do not stop. You
must."
"I must?" said 'Lisbeth, a little meekly. "I must, must I?"
But as she said it her voice sounded very much as though it said, "If I
cannot, how can I?"
"Yes, you must;" and 'Lisbeth went and sat down to think about it.
This was 'Lisbeth's first day at school and she had a great many more
days at school, and learned a great many things every day, but one thing
she did not manage to learn at all--to stop thinking about London.