TEACHER. Next scholar read it.
GIRL. Herod--the--the--the (_is prompted by someone_) the tetrarch.
TEACHER. Very good. Next boy, the second sentence.
BOY. This--is--a--warm--This--is--a--warm--doughnut--tread on it.
TEACHER (_presenting dunce cap_). Put that on and stand in the corner.
(_Boy scuffs to corner, where he spends his time throwing spitballs
and eating doughnuts, thrown him by pupils when the teacher is not
looking._) Next read. (_Boy steps up to ask teacher about an example._)
GIRL (_prompted by one of the boys_). Thith ith a wurrum.
Be--careful--not--to--tread--on--it (_again prompted_), or it
will bite you.
TEACHER (_to boy_). You have multiplied wrong. Let me see: five times
nine are forty-five, put down the five and carry the four, etc.
(_Class push and pull, but straighten into line when the teacher
looks up._) Next read.
BOY. This--is--the--hair--comb. Let--us--kill--him!
TEACHER. I am ashamed of you. Does c-o-m-e spell comb? (_Sends
boy with slate to his seat._) Hands up--those who can tell me what
it does spell. Well, John?
JOHN. It spells come.
TEACHER. Right. You may read it.
JOHN. This--is--the--hair. Come--let--us--kill--him. Ow-oo-oo!
(_Dancing round._)
TEACHER. Well, John! What's the matter?
JOHN. Somebody pulled my hair!
TEACHER (_severely_). Who pulled John's hair?