Franklins Proverb. 69 



least of her children who had good reason to re- 

 member that favorite axiom. During his temporary 

 absence from school, good Mr. Martin had instituted 

 a rule that each one in the class should repeat a prov- 

 erb before the lessons began. Her offspring was at the 

 foot of the class, from absence it is to be hoped, and as 

 each boy and girl spoke his proverb (they were taught 

 together in those days, much to the advantage of both 

 sexes, for who wanted to be a dunce before pretty 

 and clever A. R.) they had an unfamiliar sound, but 

 when his turn came he innocently gave them his moth- 

 er's favorite from Franklin. It was like introducing a 

 strange dog into a crowded church. After the uproar 

 had subsided, the teacher said that while it was no 

 doubt a very good proverb, it was not just in place 

 among the sacred proverbs of Solomon. Another story 

 was related of one of the Charioteers who, when told 

 that he ought to sing when the others did in church, 

 struck up, at the top of his shrill piping voice, "■ Come 

 under my plaidie, the night's going to fa' ; " when the 

 congregation began the Psalm. His uncle was so con- 

 vulsed that, notwithstanding the angry glances of many 

 near him, he could not stop the performance in time 

 to prevent an unseemly interruption. 



We had done our first day's coaching, and a long 

 day at that, and looking back it is amusing to remem- 

 ber how anxiously we awaited the reports of the ladies 

 of our party ; for it was not without grave apprehension 



