"Thank you, papa, I think I shall remember that, and I will not wish to
leave off grammar, for I see that geography would not teach me to speak
properly; and I should not like to be thought an ignorant man when I
grow up."

"I hope not, my dear, and I also hope there is no danger of such a
misfortune, for you have a great many years to learn in; and if you make
good use of them, you will know a great deal by the time you are
twenty."

"So I shall," said Charles, "I will learn as much as I can every day."

"A very good resolution," said his papa; "education is one of the best
things in the world. I will tell you an entertaining story on this very
subject."

"Do, papa, I should like to hear it very much; I am so fond of stories."

"But this is a true one, Charles, which makes it all the better. You
have seen in your map of America, a country called Peru?"

"Yes," answered Charles; "I saw it this morning, when I was saying my
geography lesson to mamma; I had to say all the countries in South
America, and Peru was one of them."

"Well, this country was once governed by a king who was called an Inca,
and his name was Atabalipa; but although he was a king, he knew neither
how to read nor write, for reading and writing were arts that were not
known in America at that time."