A Mortifying Mistake

STUDIED my tables over and over, and backward and forward too ; But I couldn't remember six times nine, and I didn't know what to do, Till sister told me to play with mydoll, and not to bother my head. "If you call her 'Fifty-four' for a while, you'll learn it by heart," she said. So I took my favorite, Mary Ann (though I thought ' twas a dreadful shame To give such a perfectly lovely child such a per- fectly horrid name) , And I called her my dear little "Fifty-four" a hundred times, till I knew The answer of six times nine as well as the answer of two times two. MAIDENHOOD Next day Elizabeth Wigglesworth, who always acts so proud, Said, " Six times nine is fifty-two," and I nearly laughed aloud! But I wished I hadn't when teacher said, "Now, Dorothy, tell if you can." For I thought of my doll and-sakes alive -I! answered, "Mary Ann! "