"Uncle, could you lend me a ninepence? I'll return it as soon as Iget my pocket-money," said Rose, coming into the library in agreat hurry that evening.
"I think I could, and I won't charge any interest for it, so you neednot be in any hurry to repay me. Come back here and help mesettle these books if you have nothing pleasanter to do," answeredDr. Alec, handing out the money with that readiness which is sodelightful when we ask small loans.
"I'll come in a minute; I've been longing to fix my books, but didn'tdare to touch them, because you always shake your head when Iread.""I shall shake my head when you write, if you don't do it betterthan you did in making out this catalogue.""I know it's bad, but I was in a hurry when I did it, and I am in onenow." And away went Rose, glad to escape a lecture.
But she got it when she came back, for Uncle Alec was stillknitting his brows over the list of books, and sternly demanded,pointing to a tipsy-looking title staggering down the page"Is that meant for 'Pulverized Bones,' ma'am?""No, sir; it's 'Paradise Lost.' ""Well, I'm glad to know it, for I began to think you were planningto study surgery or farming. And what is this, if you please?
'Babies' Aprons' is all I can make of it."Rose looked hard at the scrawl, and presently announced, with anair of superior wisdom"Oh, that's 'Bacon's Essays.' ""Miss Power did not teach anything so old-fashioned as writing, Isee. Now look at this memorandum Aunt Plenty gave me, and seewhat a handsome plain hand that is. She went to a dame-schooland learnt a few useful things well; that is better than a smatteringof half a dozen so-called higher branches, I take the liberty ofthinking.""Well, I'm sure I was considered a bright girl at school, and learnedeverything I was taught. Luly and me were the first in all ourclasses, and 'specially praised for our French and music and thosesort of things," said Rose, rather offended at Uncle Alec'scriticism.
"I dare say; but if your French grammar was no better than yourEnglish, I think the praise was not deserved, my dear.""Why, uncle, we did study English grammar, and I could parsebeautifully. Miss Power used to have us up to show off whenpeople came. I don't see but I talk as right as most girls.""I dare say you do, but we are all too careless about our English.
Now, think a minute, and tell me if these expressions are correct'Luly and me,' 'those sort of things,' and 'as right as most girls.' "Rose pulled her pet curl and put up her lip, but had to own that shewas wrong, and said meekly, after a pause which threatened to besulky"I suppose I should have said 'Luly and I,' in that case, and 'that sortof things' and 'rightly,' though 'correctly' would have been a betterword, I guess.""Thank you; and if you will kindly drop 'I guess,' I shall like mylittle Yankee all the better. Now, see here, Rosy, I don't pretend toset myself up for a model in anything, and you may come down onmy grammar, manners or morals as often as you think I'm wrong,and I'll thank you. I've been knocking about the world for years,and have got careless, but I want my girl to be what I callwell-educated, even if she studies nothing but the three 'Rs' for ayear to come. Let us be thorough, no matter how slowly we go."He spoke so earnestly and looked so sorry to have ruffled her thatRose went and sat on the arm of his chair, saying, with a pretty airof penitence"I'm sorry I was cross, uncle, when I ought to thank you for takingso much interest in me. I guess no, I think you are right aboutbeing thorough, for I used to understand a great deal better whenpapa taught me a few lessons than when Miss Power hurried methrough so many. I declare my head used to be such a jumble ofFrench and German, history and arithmetic, grammar and music, Iused to feel sometimes as if it would split. I'm sure I don't wonderit ached." And she held on to it as if the mere memory of the"jumble" made it swim.
"Yet that is considered an excellent school, I find, and I dare say itwould be if the benighted lady did not think it necessary to cramher pupils like Thanks-giving turkeys, instead of feeding them in anatural and wholesome way. It is the fault with most Americanschools, and the poor little heads will go on aching till we learnbetter."This was one of Dr. Alec's hobbies, and Rose was afraid he was offfor a gallop, but he reined himself in and gave her thoughts a newturn by saying suddenly, as he pulled out a fat pocket-book"Uncle Mac has put all your affairs into my hands now, and here isyour month's pocket money. You keep your own little accounts, Isuppose?""Thank you. Yes, Uncle Mac gave me an account book when Iwent to school, and I used to put down my expenses, but I couldn'tmake them go very well, for figures are the one thing I am not atall clever about," said Rose, rummaging in her desk for adilapidated little book, which she was ashamed to show when shefound it.
"Well, as figures are rather important things to most of us, and youmay have a good many accounts to keep some day, wouldn't it bewise to begin at once and learn to manage your pennies before thepounds come to perplex you?""I thought you would do all that fussy part and take care of thepounds, as you call them. Need I worry about it? I do hate sums,so!""I shall take care of things till you are of age, but I mean that youshall know how your property is managed, and do as much of it asyou can by and by; then you won't be dependent on the honesty ofother people.""Gracious me! as if I wouldn't trust you with millions of billions ifI had them," cried Rose, scandalised at the mere suggestion.
"Ah, but I might be tempted; guardians are sometimes; so you'dbetter keep your eye on me, and in order to do that you must learnall about these affairs," answered Dr. Alec, as he made an entry inhis own very neat account-book.
Rose peeped over his shoulder at it, and then turned to thearithmetical puzzle in her hand with a sigh of despair.
"Uncle, when you add up your expenses do you ever find you havegot more money than you had in the beginning?""No; I usually find that I have a good deal less than I had in thebeginning. Are you troubled in the peculiar way you mention?""Yes; it is very curious, but I never c............