They began again, Statira holding the book this time, and Lemuel repeating as before, and he went quite through the alphabet without anything happening. “Well, I declare!” said Statira, looking grave. “Let's try it over again.”
“You may try, and you may try, and you may try,” said 'Manda Grier. “It won't do you any good. I hain't got any fate in that line.”
“Well, that's what we're goin' to find out,” said Statira; but again the verses and alphabet were repeated without effect.
“Now you satisfied?” asked 'Manda Grier.
“No, not yet. Begin again, Mr. Barker!”
He did so, and at the second letter the book dropped. Statira jumped up, and 'Manda Grier began to chase her round the room, to box her ears for her, she said. Lemuel sat looking on. He did not feel at all severe toward them, as he usually did toward girls that cut up; he did not feel that this was cutting up, in fact.
“Stop, stop!” implored Statira, “and I'll let you try it over again.”
“No, it's your turn now!”
“No, I ain't going to have any,” said Statira, folding her arms.
“You got to,” said 'Manda Grier. “The rest of us has, and now you've got to. Hain't she got to, Mr. Barker?”