About learning to read.

Here’s a pretty gay book, full of verses to sing,

But Lucy can’t read it; oh! what a sad thing!

And such funny stories—and pictures too—look!

I am glad I can read such a beautiful book.

But come, little Lucy, now what do you say,

Shall I begin teaching you pretty great A?

And then all the letters that stand in a row,

That you may be able to read it, you know?

A great many children have no good mamma,

To teach them to read, and poor children they are;

But Lucy shall learn all her letters to tell,

And I hope by and by she will read very well.