"That's good," said Bert. "Only, Mrs. Codman, you mustn't be too hard upon me. I don't believe I can get very long lessons."
"I mean to be quite easy at first. I shall not ask much, but that little I shall be strict in requiring."
Bert wasn't quite sure how she liked the latter part of this remark.
"Before setting you any lessons, I must find out how much you know."
"I guess it won't take me long to tell you all I ever learned."
"Here is a reading-book. Let me hear you read."
Bert took the book, and stumbled through a paragraph, invariably mispronouncing all words of over one syllable.
"There," said she, taking a long breath; "I'm glad that is over."
"Now," said Mrs. Codman, taking the book, "let me read it aloud."
She was an excellent reader, and Bert, though she could not read herself, recognized the fact.