Page:The grandmother; a story of country life in Bohemia.pdf/213

Rh prayer and various songs, you can learn the a, b, c, too," said her mother.

The child skipped for joy, and immediately began to examine the letters with great attention; the clever Willie offered to teach her a, e, i, o, u, but she hid the block behind her back, saying: " I don't want to learn from you, you don't know it as well as the schoolmaster."

"As if I didn't know my letters when I can read from a book," said the boy, much hurt.

"But the letters are not the same as in the book," replied the sister.

"O, how foolish you are," exclaimed Willie, clasping his hands in astonishment.

"I don't care," said Adelka with a toss of her head, and went with her letters to the window.

While these two were quarreling over the letters, John, together with Sultan and Tyrol, was making a concert in the kitchen; he blew the trumpet and beat the drum which his mother had brought him from the market. The dogs did not seem to appreciate his music, for Sultan barked and Tyrol howled in a way that was fearful to hear. Grandmother was in the storeroom with her daughter putting away the purchases; hearing this music they both rushed into the kitchen. "Didn't I say so? it is that reprobate of ours; there isn't a good bone in his body. Say, will you stop!"

John took the trumpet out of his mouth and, as if he had not heard what Grandmother said, laughed, saying: "Look at those dogs, how mad they are; they do not seem to like my music."

"If those dogs could speak they would tell you to go to the Old Nick with such music, you under-