Emily. Well (screaming), ma! ma!
Charles (screaming also). Pa! pa!
Emily. Oh dear! there's the sun setting. It will be dreadfully dark by-and-by, won't it?
We have given enough for a specimen. The composition, though faulty in many respects, illustrates the point we had in view.
7. Insincere Confession.—An assistant in a school informed the principal that she had some difficulty in preserving order in a certain class composed of small children. The principal accordingly went into the class, and something like the following dialogue ensued:
"Your teacher informs me," said the principal, "that there is not perfect order in the class. Now if you are satisfied that there has not been order, and wish to help me discover and correct the fault, we can do it very easily. If, on the other hand, you do not wish to co-operate with me, it will be a little more difficult for me to correct it, and I must take a different course. Now I wish to know, at the outset, whether you do or do not wish to help me?"
A faint "Yes, sir," was murmured through the class.
"I do not wish you to assist me unless you really and honestly desire it yourselves; and if you undertake to do it, you must do it honestly. The first thing which will be necessary will be an open and thorough exposure of all which has been wrong, and this, you know, will be unpleasant. But I will put the question to vote by asking how many are willing that I should know, entirely and fully, all that they have done in this class that has been wrong?"
Very nearly all the hands were raised at once, promptly, and the others were gradually brought up, though with more or less of hesitation.
"Are you willing not only to tell me yourselves what you have done, but also, in case any one has forgotten something which she has done, that others should tell me of it?"