"Well, those are letters,--the alphabet, they call it.
Every one of them has got a name, and when you have learned to know
them all perfectly, so that you can call them all right wherever
you see 'em, why, then you can read any thing."

"Any thing?" asked Tidy in amazement.

"Yes, any thing,--all kinds of books and papers and the Bible
and every thing."

"I can learn THEM, I's sure I can," said Tidy. "Le's begin now."

"Well, you see that first one,--that's A. You see how it's made,--
two lines go right up to a point, and then a straight one across.
Now say, what is it?"

"A."

"Yes; and now the next one,--that's B. There's a straight line
down and two curves on the front. What's that?"

"B."

"Now you must remember those two,--I sha'n't tell you any more
this morning, and I shall make you do just as Miss Agnes used to make me.
Miss Agnes was our governess at home before we came here to school.
She made me take a newspaper,--see, here's a piece,--and prick
the letters on it with a pin. Now you take this piece of paper,
and prick every A and every B that you can find on it, and to-morrow
I'll show you some more."