Rollo read a little way, and then Lucy read a little way; but they were not much interested, and thinking that the difficulty might be in the book, they got another, but with no better success. At last Rollo said they would go and get their mother to read to them. So they went together to her room, and Rollo said that they could not get along very well in rending themselves, and asked her if she would not be good enough to read to them.
“Why, what is the difficulty?” said she.
“O, I do not know, exactly: the story is not very interesting, and then we cannot read very well.”
“In what respect will it be better for me to read to you?” she asked.
“Why, mother, you can choose us a prettier story; and then we should understand it better if you read it.”
“I suppose you would; but I see you have made a great mistake.”
“What mistake?” said both the children at once.
“Why is it that you are going to read at all?”
“Why, you advised us to, mother.”
“Did I advise you to do it as a duty, or as a pleasure?”