brought a violent rush of such images. I tried to shut them
out of my head and gave myself wistfully to "three times one
is three; three times two is six." Miss Pinshon helped me by
closing the window. I thought she might have let so much
sweetness as that come into the multiplication table. However
I studied its threes and fours steadily for some time dry;
then my attention flagged. It was very uninteresting. I had
never in all my life till then been obliged to study what gave
me no pleasure. My mind wandered, and then my eyes wandered,
to where the sunlight lay so golden under the live oaks. The
wreaths of grey moss stirred gently with the wind. I longed to
be out there. Miss Pinshon's voice startled me.

"Daisy, where are your thoughts?"

I hastily brought my eyes and wits home and answered, "Out
upon the lawn, ma'am."

"Do you find the multiplication table there?"

It was so needless to answer! I was mute. I would have come to
the rash conclusion that nature and mathematics had nothing to
do with each other.

"You must learn to command your attention," my governess went
on. "You must not let it wander. That is the first lesson you
have to learn. I shall give you mathematics till you have
learnt it. You can do nothing without attention."

I bent myself to the threes and fours again. But I was soon