"'I have no mistress,' said she.
"'I didn't say you had,' sais I, 'for I knew you hadn't afore you
spoke.'
"'How did you know that?' said she.
"'Because,' sais I, 'seein' so handsome a lady as you, I thought you
was one of the professors; and then I thought you must be the mistress
herself, and was a thinking how likely she had grow'd since I seed her
last. Are you one of the class-teachers?'
"It bothered her; she didn't know whether it was impudence or
admiration; but when a woman arbitrates on a case she is interested
in, she always gives an award in her own favour.
"'Walk in, Sir,' said she, 'and I will see,' and she backed and backed
before me, not out of deference to me, but to the onfastened hooks of
her gown, and threw a door open. On the opposite side was a large room
filled with galls, peeping and looking over each other's shoulders at
me, for it was intermission.
"'Are these your pupils?' sais I; and before she could speak, I went
right past into the midst of 'em. Oh, what a scuddin' and screamin'
there was among them! A rocket explodin' there couldn't a done more
mischief. They tumbled over chairs, upsot tables, and went head and
heels over each other like anything, shouting out, 'A man! a man!'
"'Where--where?' sais I, a chasin' of them, 'show him to me, and I'll
soon clear him out. What is he a doing of?'
"It was the greatest fun you ever see.
Pages:
305
306
307
308
309
310
311
312
313
314
315
316
317
318
319
320
321
322
323
324
325
326
327
328
329