"little boys shouldn't speak unless they're spoken to. Now," and she
turned back to Polly again, "didn't you ever knit a stocking?"

"No, ma'am," said Polly, "not a whole one."

"Dear me!" exclaimed Miss Jerusha; "did I ever!" And she raised
her black mitts in intense disdain. "A big girl like you never to knit
a stocking! to think your mother should bring you up so! and--"

"She didn't bring us up," screamed Joel, in indignation, facing her
with blazing eyes.

"Joel," said Polly, "be still."

"And you're very impertinent, too," said Miss Jerusha; "a good
child never is impertinent."

Polly sat quite still; and Miss Jerusha continued:

"Now, I hope you will learn to be industrious; and when I come
again, I will see what you have done."

"You aren't ever coming again," said Joel, defiantly; "no, never!"

"Joel!" implored Polly, and in her distress she pulled up her
bandage as she looked at him; "you know mammy'll be so sorry at
you! Oh, ma'am, and" she turned to Miss Jerusha, who was now
thoroughly aroused to the duty she saw before her of doing these
children good, "I don't know what is the reason, ma'am; Joel never
talks so; he's real good; and--"