little Jean was by no means an apt scholar. Indeed, the most hopeless
confusion continued to prevail in her small mind concerning the letters
of the alphabet, notwithstanding all his efforts. The natural history
lessons, however, had been a greater success; she had learnt from
Geordie the names of most trees and flowers that grew wild in the
valley, and knew the difference between a wagtail and a wren, which some
people who know their alphabet do not. Geordie sometimes thought that it
might be nice for Jean to go to the kirk, for it was from Jean's point
of view that he looked at most things in life. But then there was the
insuperable difficulty about Sunday clothes, so the idea had always
been given up after due consideration each time it presented itself to
his mind, and the church-going was reserved for that golden period when
Jean would be clothed in the blue-starred print frock, and he should
have a suit of Sunday clothes. Perhaps, with the encouragement of the
ear-trumpet, even frail granny might be conducted to church, Geordie
thought, hopefully, for he knew that she had the essentials of
church-going, as they presented themselves to his mind, stowed away in
an ancient chest-of-drawers where she kept her valuables.

But in the interval, and while these happy days of good wages and
schooling for Jean and Sunday clothes still lay in the distance, this
invitation to go to the house of Kirklands to be taught on Sunday
afternoon was very delightful indeed, Geordie thought, as he trudged
home with dust-stained feet, carrying his shoes slung across his
shoulders, to pay an evening visit to his granny, eager to tell Jean
about the interview with the young lady and of the invitation. He knew
the news would be welcome to his grandmother also, for it had been one
of her standing grievances ever since he could remember that next rent
day Mr. Graham would be sure to give her notice to quit. And, indeed, if
the truth must be told, it was owing to Geordie's own useful and