draw and paint, and in process of time he became a great artist, and
all the world knew of his name and fame.




SCHOOL'S OUT!

[Illustration]


What a welcome and joyful sound! In the winter, when the days are
short, and the sun, near the end of the six school hours, sinks so low
that the light in the room grows dim and gray, with what impatience,
my dear child, do you wait for this signal! But it is in the long
summer days that you find school most tiresome. The air in the room is
hot and drowsy, and outside you can see there is a breeze blowing, for
the trees are gently tossing their green boughs as if to twit you with
having to work out sums in such glorious weather. And there come to
your ears the pleasant sounds of the buzzing of insects and twittering
of birds, and the brook splashing over the stones. Then the four walls
of the school-room look very dreary, and the maps glare at you, and
the black-boards frown darkly, and the benches seem very hard, and the
ink-bespattered desks appear more grimy than ever.

This was the time when the heart of the Dominie would be touched with
pity, and he would say in his bright way: "Now, children, I am going
to read you something!"

Instantly the half-closed eyes would open, the drooping heads would be