Aunt Mary\'s Primer
A FEW WORDS TO THE TEACHER. When Little Mary (or any other little girl or boy) knows all the letters perfectly, let the teacher turn over a page and pronounce one of the mono-syllables. Do not say _a, m, am_--but say _am_ at once, and point to the word. When the child knows that word, then point to the next, and say _as_, and be sure to follow the same plan throughout the book. Spelling lessons may be taught at a more advanced age; but it will be found that a young child will learn to read much more quickly if they be dispensed with in the Primer. In words of more than one syllable, it is best to pronounce each syllable separately, _car, pet_,--_po, ker_,--and so on. In the lesson on "Things in the Room," point out each thing as the child reads the word, and indeed, wherever you can, try to associate the word with its actual meaning. Show a child the word _coach_ as a coach goes past, and she will recollect that word again for ever. In the "Lesson on the Senses," make the child understand how to feel cold and heat, by touching a piece of cold iron or marble, and by holding the hand to the fire,--how to smell, to hear, to see, and to taste. In the "Lesson on Colours," be sure to show each colour as it is read; and
All around her--kneeling, crowding, meddling, interfering--frightened
people queried: "Who is she? Who is she?" Now and again from out of
the medley some one offered a half-articulate suggestion. It was the
hotel proprietor who moved first. Clumsily but kindly, with a fat hand
thrust under her shoulders, he tried to raise her head from the floor.
Barton himself, as the most recently returned from the "Dark Valley,"
moved next. Futilely, with a tiny wisp of linen and lace that he found
at the girl's belt, he tried to wipe the blood from her lips.
"Who is she? Who is she?" the conglomerate hum of inquiry rose and
fell like a moan.
Beneath the crimson stain on the little lace handkerchief a trace of
indelible ink showed faintly. Scowlingly Barton bent to decipher it.
"Mother's Little Handkerchief," the marking read. "'Mother's?'" Barton
repeated blankly. Then suddenly full comprehension broke upon him,
and, horridly startled and shocked with a brand-new realization of the
tragedy, he fairly blurted out his astonishing information.
"Why--why, it's the--little Edgarton girl!" he hurled like a bombshell
into the surrounding company.
Instantly, with the mystery once removed, a dozen hysterical people
seemed startled into normal activity. No one knew exactly what to do,
but some ran for water and towels, and some ran for the doctor, and
one young woman with astonishing acumen slipped out of her white silk
A FEW WORDS TO THE TEACHER. When Little Mary (or any other little girl or boy) knows all the letters perfectly, let the teacher turn over a page and pronounce one of the mono-syllables. Do not say _a, m, am_--but say _am_ at once, and point to the word. When the child knows that word, then point to the next, and say _as_, and be sure to follow the same plan throughout the book. Spelling lessons may be taught at a more advanced age; but it will be found that a young child will learn to read much more quickly if they be dispensed with in the Primer. In words of more than one syllable, it is best to pronounce each syllable separately, _car, pet_,--_po, ker_,--and so on. In the lesson on "Things in the Room," point out each thing as the child reads the word, and indeed, wherever you can, try to associate the word with its actual meaning. Show a child the word _coach_ as a coach goes past, and she will recollect that word again for ever. In the "Lesson on the Senses," make the child understand how to feel cold and heat, by touching a piece of cold iron or marble, and by holding the hand to the fire,--how to smell, to hear, to see, and to taste. In the "Lesson on Colours," be sure to show each colour as it is read; and