Dame. So, Johnny Green, thou likest the puppet, too. Well, I think we will let thee play with it for a while. Bring it to me. (Boy comes sheepishly forward, carrying the doll by a leg.) Nay, that’s not the way to hold thy dear puppet. Take it in thine arms, so! (To girl on stool.) Bring thy placard here. Here is one who needs it more than thou. (She removes the placard from about the girl’s neck and hangs it about the boy’s.) Now take thy place on the stool, that we may all see how well thou canst hold thy baby.
As the boy takes his place, the other children snicker. The owner of the doll giggles with them, until she sees the boy slyly tear a leg from the doll. Then she begins to weep, but is afraid to tell the Dame of the boy’s act.
Dame (to boy in dunce-cap). Come here, little dunce, and see if thou knowest thy lesson now.
Boy climbs from stool and takes position before Dame, with hands folded behind him.
Dame. Spell joy.
Boy. G-o-y, joy.
Dame. Back to thy stool, and stay there until thou hast learned thy words.
Boy (retreats toward stool, then turns at bay). An thou keepst me on the stool for a week, I cannot learn my lesson without a book!
Dame. Insolence! Come to me and I will teach thee respect to thine elders.
As the boy comes slowly toward her and her upraised switch, she detects another boy holding his slate so that a girl may see a picture he has drawn of the Dame. She pounces upon him, while she waves the dunce to one side. The dunce takes advantage of her preoccupation with the second boy, to seize a book and study half-aloud, “joy, j-o-y,” before resuming his place on the stool.