Three were entirely ignorant of the Lord's Prayer, and many of the
others did not by any means pronounce the words of it. Jane and
Fanny Taylor, Rebekah Watts, and Mrs. Green's little boy, were the
only ones who, by their own account, used morning and evening
prayers, though, on further examination, it appeared that Polly and
Jenny Hall, and some others, were accustomed to repeat the old rhyme
about "Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John," and Una M'Carthy and her
little brother Fergus said something that nobody could make out, but
which Mr. Wilmot thought had once been an "Ave Maria."

Some few of the children could read, and several more knew their
letters. The least ignorant were selected to form a first class, and
Mr. Wilmot promised a Prayer-book to the first who should be able to
repeat the Catechism without a mistake, and a Bible to the first who
could read a chapter in it.

Then followed a setting of tasks, varying from a verse of a Psalm, or
the first answer in the Catechism, down to the distinction between A,
B, and C; all to be ready by next Tuesday, when, weather permitting,
a second lesson was to be given. Afterwards, a piece of advice of
Margaret's was followed, and Flora read aloud to the assembly the
story of "Margaret Fletcher." To some this seemed to give great
satisfaction, especially to Una, but Ethel was surprised to see that
many, and those not only little ones, talked and yawned. They had no
power of attention even to a story, and the stillness was irksome to
such wild colts. It was plain that it was time to leave off, and
there was no capacity there which did not find the conclusion
agreeable, when the basket was opened, and Ethel and Mary distributed
the buns, with instructions to say, "thank you."