IN WHICH WALTER DOES NOT WANT NINE EIGHTS
TO BE SEVENTY-TWO; AND MARTHA MARY FEELS
SO BADLY FOR HIM THAT SHE GOES TO SEEK
ADVENTURE. SHE FINDS IT
It all happened because Walter couldn’t learn how many times eight was seventy-two. The eight tables are hard enough, but when it comes to dividing by eight even John made mistakes at times. Walter insisted that eight sevens were seventy-two. Mother Dear said they were not, but Walter said he knew best. Mother Dear looked sorry and said if Walter were quite positive he was right, then she supposed he must be, but she had learned that nine eights were seventy-two.
“They’re not,” said stubborn Walter.
“What are they then, Dear?” asked Mother.
“Don’t know,” said Walter. “But I won’t have them seventy-two.”
Then Mother Dear almost lost her patience.
“Very well, Walter,” she said. “But, if you cannot believe your mother, I hardly think it worth while helping you, so you may leave the room.”
Walter lost his temper altogether and went out, slamming the door and kicking his feet. Later, Martha Mary, who felt as badly for him as she did for Mother Dear, although she knew Mother was right, found him in the hayloft, with a miserable look in his eyes and a smudge of dirt where tears had been.
“Please, Mr. Brother,” she said, “don’t feel badly.”
“Go away,” said Walter. “I hate you.”