education and improvement. These stories related the principal
events in the lives of the heroes but never mentioned any names,
always asking at the end, "Can you tell me who this man was?"

Her nephew heard the stories so often that he had some expression
or incident by which he could identify each, without paying much
attention while she was reading.

He and his aunt had just settled themselves on the porch for a
reading.

Jimmy was on his own porch cutting up funny capers, and making
faces for the other child's amusement.

"Lemme go over to Jimmy's, Aunt Minerva," pleaded her nephew,
"an' you can read to me to-night. I 'd a heap ruther not hear
you read right now. It'll make my belly ache."

Miss Minerva looked at him severely.

"William," she enjoined, "don't you want to be a smart man when
you grow up?"

"Yes 'm," he replied, without much enthusiasm. "Well, jes' lemme
ask Jimmy to come over here an' set on the other sider you whils'
you read. He ain't never hear 'bout them tales, an' I s'pec'
he'd like to come."

"Very well," replied his flattered and gratified relative, "call
him over."