Good gracious! Who could have guessed, from the way they read, they
could do their tables like this! She herself missed on 7 x 7 and was
ready to cry. After this the teacher didn't call on her at all, but
showered questions down on the other two, who sent the answers back with
sickening speed.
After the lesson the teacher said, smiling, "Well, Betsy, you were right
about your arithmetic. I guess you'd better recite with Eliza for a
while. She's doing second-grade work. I shouldn't be surprised if, after
a good review with her, you'd be able to go on with the third-grade
work."
Elizabeth Ann fell back on the bench with her mouth open. She felt
really dizzy. What crazy things the teacher said! She felt as though she
was being pulled limb from limb.
"What's the matter?" asked the teacher, seeing her bewildered fact.
"Why--why," said Elizabeth Ann, "I don't know what I am at all. If I'm
second-grade arithmetic and seventh-grade reading and third-grade
spelling, what grade AM I?"
The teacher laughed at the turn of her phrase. "YOU aren't any grade at
all, no matter where you are in school. You're just yourself, aren't
you? What difference does it make what grade you're in! And what's the
use of your reading little baby things too easy for you just because you
don't know your multiplication table?"
"Well, for goodness' SAKES!" ejaculated Elizabeth Ann, feeling very much
as though somebody had stood her suddenly on her head.
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