The Country School: An Entertainment in Two Scenes

by Martha Russell Orne

HEAD PUPIL (slowly). C-h-a-i-r, char—i-t, it—charit—t-a, ta—charita—b-u-l, ble—charitable.

COM. (examining book closely). Wrong! Next!

SECOND PUPIL (with spirit ). C-h-a-i-r spells chair, and t-a-b-l-e spells table, and i-t spells it; therefore, c-h-a-i-r-i-t-t-a-b-l-e spells charitable.

COM. (doubtfully). Wal, that’s putty straight reasonin’, an’ I reckon you’re right, though ’tain’t jest like the book. Take your place. Next, merlasses.

THIRD PUPIL. M-e-r, mer.

FOURTH PUPIL (raising hand ). ’Tain’t merlasses; it’s it molasses.

COM. (examining book ). I reckon I’ve seen more merlasses than you ever seen an’ oughter know what it is by this time. Merlasses, I said, an’ merlasses it shall be.

THIRD PUPIL. Please, sir, I can’t spell it.

COM. Why not?

THIRD PUPIL. I ain’t got no book.