order to let it fly and draw it back again when
they pleased.

Goody could not bear to see anything tortured like that, so she bought
the pigeon from the boys and taught him how to spell and read. But he
could not talk. And as Ralph, the raven, took the large letters, Peter,
the pigeon, took care of the small ones.

[Illustration: Goody warns the Squire]

Mrs. Williams, who lived in Margery's village, kept school, and taught
little ones their A B C's. She was now old and feeble, and wanted to
give up this important trust.

[Illustration: Brother and Sister]

This being known to Sir William Dove, he asked Mrs. Williams to examine
Goody Two Shoes and see if she was not clever enough for the office.
This was done, and Mrs. Williams reported that little Margery was the
best scholar, and had the best heart of any one she had ever examined.
All the country had a great opinion of Mrs. Williams, and this report
made them think highly of Miss MARGERY, as we must now call her.

So Margery Meanwell was now a schoolmistress, and a capital one she
made. The children all loved her, for she was never weary of making
plans for their happiness.

The room in which she taught was large and lofty, and there was plenty
of fresh air in it; and as she knew that children liked to move about,
she placed her sets of letters all round the school, so that every one
was obliged to get up to find a letter, or spell a word, when it came
their turn.

This exercise not only kept the children in good health, but fixed the
letters firmly in their minds.

The neighbors were very good to her, and one of them made her a present
of a little skylark, whose early morning song told the lazy boys and
girls that it was time they were out of bed.

Some time after this a poor lamb lost its dam, and the farmer being
about to kill it, she bought it of him, and brought it home to play with
the children.

Soon after this a present was made to Miss Margery of a dog, and as he
was always in good humor, and always jumping about, the children gave
him the name of Jumper. It was his duty to guard the door, and no one
could go out or come in without leave from his mistress.

Margery was so wise and good that some foolish people accused her of
being a witch, and she was taken to court and tried before the judge.
She soon proved that she was a most sensible woman, and Sir Charles
Jones was so pleased with her, that he offered her a large sum of money
to take ca