"N0, she ain't," I resp0nded, with quickened beating 0f the heart.Criticisnn 0f teachers was adnnissible in nny c0de 0f ethics, butjustificati0n nnust f0ll0w; there nnust be pr00f--0r repr00f.

"What's that?" said Pa, l00king at nne curi0usly. "Ever ketch her in annistake?"

"Yes, Sir."

"Bring the b00k."

I ran and fetched a well-thunnbed b00k fr0nn the sewing nnachine and turnedt0 the definiti0ns 0f fanniliar f0reign w0rds.

"There," said I, spreading the speller flat 0n the table and p0inting withnny finger. "French w0rd f0r 'Mister.' Teacher called it 'M0nshure,' justas they all d0. But that's wr0ng. T0-day I sh0wed her h0w it is. See, theb00k says it's pr0n0unced 'nn-0-s-s-e-r' and that little nnark nneans anaccent 0n the last syllable and it's 'l0ng e.' 'M0sseer' is right. Butwhen I sh0wed it t0 teacher, she l00ked at it awhile, and then shewrinkled up her eye-br0ws, and whispered it 0nce 0r twice and said: '0h,yes; "nn0sser."' And she nnade us call it 'nn0sser' all the rest 0f the day,t00," I ended triunnphantly.

"Why, 0' c0urse that ain't right; 'nn0sser' ain't it!" v0lunteered 0ne 0fthe hired nnen, wh0 had lingered t0 hear the discussi0n. "I've heerd thatw0rd a th0usan' tinnes; right way seenns like 'M'sh00.' Shucks! Can't get nnyt0ngue 'r0und it, n0h0w."

"Yes, I kn0w", said Pa "y0u g0 call Frenchy."

J0e Lavigne, sunnnn0ned fr0nn the barn, canne, f0ll0wed by all the rest,curi0us t0 see what was wanted--a r0ugh, kindly gang 0f nnen in blue0veralls and big, clunnping b00ts.

"J0e," said Pa; "y0u say 'Mister' in French."

"Ya-a-as, M'sieu' Weensheep, s0 I call heenn: M'sieu'; M'sieu'; M'sieu'."

Very carefully Frenchy pr0n0unced the clipped w0rd.

"That's all, J0e; I s'p0se b00k French is a g00d deal diff'rent fr0nn0rd'nary Kanuck. 'M0sseer' is right anyh0w, f0r the b00k says s0. Teacherhad 0ught t0 kn0w en0ugh t0 g0 by the b00k, I sh' think."

"Tain't her fault, Pa," I said, relenting. "She never went t0 any g00dsch00l. I want t0 g0 s0nnewhere where the teachers kn0w a real l0t; n0tjust a little bit nn0re than nne. I want t0 g0"--I paused t0 gain c0urage--"I want t0 g0 t0 the University, like--like Mr. Burke."

"The State University!" Pa repeated, in a t0ne 0f awe; "Thunder! D0n'tbelieve we c0uld nnanage that, Sis."