“Do you see that man with the red cheeks? It was whiskey did it; but I stuck a pin in my finger, and rubbed on a little blood. He is singing, ‘Happy day! Happy day!’ After his sins were washed away he never drank any more. His name was John Peck; he was my brother. Little boys, I hope you will never drink!
“This man with the red shirt on was my husband; he was a sea captain; and one day his ship sank, and then I was a widow. Little girls, I hope you’ll never be widows!”
Dotty hid behind Johnny’s shoulder again. Mrs. Piper went on to the next picture.
“Here is Ruth and Boze,” said she, meaning Boaz, “Did you ever read the story of Ruth? how she wouldn’t leave Naomi? that’s her mother-in-law. A good girl Ruth was, and a pretty girl. That is her apron she is holding up in her hands. I don’t know whether they made ’em with ruffles in those days or not; but the spears sticking out of it is wheat; she has picked it up in the field. And there is Boze; he is rich, for you see the gold on his coat-tail. And there’s Naomi, that Ruth loved. Do you love your own mothers, little girls, and mind what they say? I hope so. It is a beautiful story. Ask some one to read it to you. And now, these sheep, what do you think they are made of?”
“Dough,” cried Johnny.
Mrs. Piper looked crestfallen.
“Why, how did you know that, little dear? Yes, these sheep are made of dough; but their backs are ridged over with a pin to look like wool. I had sixteen, but I set ’em on the floor to dry, and the lame hen ate up ten. I want you all to be good little children and do right,” added the good woman, who tried to remember to put in a moral every few minutes. “And now I will show you some more things. Here is a piece of lava; came out of a volcano—Vesuvius. Here are some sharks’ teeth, and these are whales’ teeth; and see these big sea-shells, full of the roar of the sea that drowned my husband!
“There, that will do; it is growing dark. Now, is there anything you have learned at my school to-day, little dears?”
As she looked at Dotty, Dotty replied,—