So line by line, in the same simple way he had given the Bible verses to the children on Sunday, he taught her the four lines he had selected. She learned them very soon and then rose to go. Tom rose too, and opened the door for her.
“If you please, Miss Lillie,” he said as he dismissed her, “send one of the children down to the cabin with a chair on Sunday. We all bring our own seats.”
Tom did not forget his new scholar between that morning and the following Sunday afternoon. He thought of her many times, and was very glad that she was coming; nevertheless it was with a mingled feeling of pleasure and embarrassment that he saw the little green velvet chair standing close to his own when he came into the cabin on Sunday afternoon. The people were evidently very curious about it, and divided their glances between Tom’s face and the pretty seat. The greater part of them thought it was for him, but he took his own chair, and left them still in doubt. Tom waited for Lillie a little beyond his time, so that when the child appeared at length in the doorway there were a number of eyes watching her.
She brought herself in her little embroidered dress down through the midst of them, and seated herself in the chair, and the two fitted each other so exactly as to leave no doubt as to the person for whom it had been placed there.
Then Tom commenced his school in his usual way, without the least want of composure, although he felt his position not a little. He had perfect attention. Lillie’s dress attracted two or three pair of bright eyes, but no more; the teacher’s words were too good to be lost.
There were a number of verses given this afternoon, but each one was rewarded with a word of praise from Tom. He had learned his position. Outside he might be, and was, one of them, but here he was undoubtedly their teacher, and no one ever attempted to gainsay his authority inside his Sunday-school room.
The Log-Cabin Sunday School.
Freed-Boy in Alabama. Page [116].
“Would you like to say your verse, Miss Lillie?” he said at length, turning to her as the others finished.