Each read a verse--neither more nor less--often leaving the half of a sentence to be taken up as a new subject in a new key; thus perverting what was intended as an assistance to find the truth into a means of hiding it--a process constantly repeated, and with far more serious results, when the words of truth fall, not into the hands of the incapable, but under the protection of the ambitious.
The chapter that came in its turn was one to be pondered over by the earnest student of human nature, not one to be blundered over by boys who had still less reverence for humanity than they had for Scripture.
It was a good thing that they were not the sacred fountains of the New Testament that were thus dabbled in--not, however, that the latter were considered at all more precious or worthy; as Saturday and the Shorter Catechism would show.
Not knowing the will of the master, Annie had not dared to stand up with the class, although she could read very fairly.

A few moments after it was dismissed she felt herself overshadowed by an awful presence, and, looking up, saw, as she had expected, the face of the master bending down over her.

He proceeded to question her, but for some time she was too frightened to give a rational account of her acquirements, the best of which were certainly not of a kind to be appreciated by the master, even if she had understood them herself sufficiently to set them out before him.

For, besides her aunt, who had taught her to read, and nothing more, her only instructors had been Nature, with her whole staff, including the sun, moon, and wind; the grass, the corn, Brownie the cow, and her own faithful subject, Dowie.
Still, it was a great mortification to her to be put into the spelling-book, which excluded her from the Bible-class.

She was also condemned to follow with an uncut quill, over and over again, a single straight stroke, set her by the master.