to learn, and had my family to
cheer me on.

I was not a bit too large for my little chair and desk in the baby
class, but my mind, of course, was too mature by six or seven years
for the work. So as soon as I could understand what the teacher said
in class, I was advanced to the second grade. This was within a week
after Miss Nixon took me in hand. But I do not mean to give my dear
teacher all the credit for my rapid progress, nor even half the
credit. I shall divide it with her on behalf of my race and my family.
I was Jew enough to have an aptitude for language in general, and to
bend my mind earnestly to my task; I was Antin enough to read each
lesson with my heart, which gave me an inkling of what was coming
next, and so carried me along by leaps and bounds. As for the teacher,
she could best explain what theory she followed in teaching us
foreigners to read. I can only describe the method, which was so
simple that I wish holiness could be taught in the same way.

There were about half a dozen of us beginners in English, in age from
six to fifteen. Miss Nixon made a special class of us, and aided us so
skilfully and earnestly in our endeavors to "see-a-cat," and
"hear-a-dog-bark," and "look-at-the-hen," that we turned over page
after page of the ravishing history, eager to find out how the common
world looked, smelled, and tasted in the strange speech. The teacher
knew just when to let us help each other out with a word in our own
tongue,--it happened that we were all Jews,--and so, working all
together, we actually covered more ground in a lesson than the native
classes, composed entirely of the little tots.

But we stuck--stuck fast--at the definite article; and sometimes the
lesson resolved itself into a species of lingual gymnastics, in which
we all looked as if we meant to bite our tongues off. Miss Nixon was
pretty, and she must have looked well with her white teeth showing in
the act; but at the time I was too solemnly occupied to admire her
looks. I did take great pleasure in her smile of approval, whenever I
pronounced well; and her patience and perseverance in struggling with
us over that thick little word are becoming to her even now, after
fifteen years. It is not her fault if any of us to-day give a buzzing
sound to the dreadful English _th_.

I shall never have a better opportunity to make public declaration of
my love for the English language. I am glad that American history
runs, chapter for ch