word is a lamp unto my feet, and a light unto my path."

Dotty listened to this, and Miss Carlisle's remarks upon it, with the
most solemn earnestness, hoping to learn why it was that people should
sit with a lamp shining on their feet. She thought she could now see why
Prudy loved to go to "Sabber school;" it was because she heard so many
funny things.

Soon all the little girls had repeated their texts; but, to her great
surprise, Dotty had not been called upon to say or do a single thing. It
was a marked slight. She hardly knew whether to be angry or not. "I
guess the lady didn't see me," thought Dotty. So she cleared her throat
with a loud noise, which echoed across the room. Then Miss Carlisle
looked at her and smiled. She was off the seat, standing on her tiptoes,
Prudy tried to draw her back; but so much the more Dotty persisted. She
shook off her sister's hand.

"I wasn't a 'peakin' to you," said she.

"Never mind her, Prudy," said Miss Carlisle, for the poor girl was
crimson with shame; "let your little sister come to me; perhaps she
wishes to tell me something."

Miss Carlisle bent forward, and let Dotty place her rosy lips close to
her face.

"Now, what do you wish, little one?"

"You didn't hear me say my _werse_," whispered Dotty, in a tone of
pique.

"Your verse? Did you learn one, child?"

"Yes, 'm, I did. I learned it all day yes'day."

"O, very well! then say it, by all means, dear."

Prudy's face expressed perfect despair. She tried to hush Dotty; but one
might as well coax the wind to stop blowing. The child's thoughts had
been like caged birds, and now out they must fly.

"Shall I _whisper_?" asked Dotty.

"No, say your verse aloud."

The child planted herself in front of the class, and recited, in a high
key, and with the greatest delight,--

"What you thpose um had for supper?
B'ack-eyed beans, un bread un butter."

It was not possible to help smiling. Prudy in spite of her shame and
distress, shook with laughter; but it was a laughter just ready to
tremble into tears.

"I'll never ask mother to let her come again, if I once _do_ get her
safe home," thought outraged Prudy.

Dotty was not allowed to attend Sabbath school again that year; but it
was a long time before she forgot some of the things she had heard Miss
Carlisle say. Many of the strange words rang in her ears for weeks after
wards, though she said nothing about them.

One day she rushed into the nurse