"What are you learning, Jacob?"
"Catechism, ma'am; and it's so hard I can't understand a word of it; besides which, the lesson is so dreadful long! I've got to learn two whole pages."
"Well, my dear boy," I said, "I will tell you a secret. When I was a little girl, I had to learn Catechism too; and, like you, I did not understand it at all; but I had to learn it perfectly; and now that I have grown up, I do understand it. So you must have courage, and learn the words, and try to comprehend all you can, and when you are older, you will remember it, and it will be a great comfort to you."
Then I explained some of the hard words, such as "justification" and "sanctification," and left him looking happier.
But I took very good care to make a good use of the "advice" part of my duty. I told the teacher that the lesson was a great deal too long; that two questions were quite enough to learn at a time. She did not like it much, but when I put my foot down, the thing has to be done; and I found, on my next visit, that short lessons were the order of the day.
You would have been amused if you could have seen the children whisper and laugh at each other, because I went down with them to dinner one day; they had meat and potatoes cut up in small tin pans, and when they had all marched in, and folded their little hands, and asked a blessing, I went up to one, and said, "Please let me taste your dinner?" She gave me the spoon, and I took a bit of meat.
"Why, that is capital!" I exclaimed; "I think I must have some more!" and I asked another girl for a taste.
So the children eat their dinner, thinking it better than usual, since "Aunt Fanny," as I told them to call me, liked it. If I had been willing, they would all have given me so much dinner that I should not have known where to put it; for you must know they had plenty and to spare.
One day, the teacher said to me: "There are ten boys, madam, who behave so badly, I do not know what to do with them. They answer me impudently; they will not learn any lessons; and one of them struck me this very morning."
"Oh dear, dear! how very sorry I am to hear this," I answered; "will you give me their names?"