"Can you give the preamble to the Constitution?" he asked, cheerfully.
The boy's jaw dropped. "You never told us to learn it," he said.
"No, I merely suggested that as Americans, you ought to learn it. I talked to you during most of yesterday's period about it. I wondered if you were old enough to take suggestions and not be driven through your books. Miss Olson?"
Miss Olson, whose hair was done in the latest mode, tossed her head pertly.
"I was too busy to learn anything extra."
Mr. James' eyebrows went up. "A dance last night, I suppose." He continued with his query half way round the class, then paused with a sigh. "Has any one in the class learned it?"
A muscular brown hand shot up, boldly. A thin white one timidly followed.
"Ah!" Mr. James' face brightened. "Miss Dudley, try it."
Lydia clutched the back of the seat before her and began timidly. Then the dignity and somewhat of the significance of the words touched her and her voice became rich and full.
"'We, the people of the United States, in order to form a more perfect union, establish justice, insure domestic tranquillity, provide for the common defence, promote the general welfare and secure the blessings of liberty to ourselves and our posterity, do ordain and establish this Constitution for the United States of America.'"