Q.

Q. What letter is this?  A. Letter Q, the first letter in quill, &c.  Q. How are quills produced?  A. From the wings of geese and other large birds.  Q. What is the use of the quill?  A. To form into pens and many other things.  Q. What is the use of the pen?  A. To dip into ink and write with it.  Q. What do you write upon?  A. Paper.  Q. What is paper made of?  A. Rags.

R.

Q. What letter is this?  A. Letter R, the first letter in rabbit, &c.  Q. What is the use of the rabbit?  A. The flesh of the rabbit is eaten, and is very nice.  Q. What does the rabbit eat?  A. Corn, grass, cabbage-leaves, and many different herbs.  Q. What is the use of the skin?  A. To make hats, and to trim boys’ caps.  Q. Are they very numerous?  A. They are to be found in almost all countries.

S.

Q. What is this?  A. Letter S, the first letter in shoe, &c.  Q. What is the use of shoes?  A. To keep the feet warm and dry.  Q. Should children walk in the mud or in the kennel?  A. No, because that would spoil the shoes, and wear them out too soon.  Q. And why should little children be careful not to wear them out any more than they can help?  A. Because our parents must work harder to buy us more.

T.

Q. What letter is this?  A. Letter T, the first letter in tea-kettle.  Q. What are tea-kettles made of?  A. Some are made of tin, and some of copper, and some of iron.  Q. Why are they not made of wood?  A. Because the wood would burn.  Q. What thing is that at the top?  A. The handle.  Q. What is underneath the handle?  A. The lid.  Q. What is in the front of it?  A. The spout.  Q. What is the use of the spout?  A. For the water to come out.  Q. What is the use of the handle?  A. To take hold of.  Q. Why do they not take hold of the spout?  A. Because it is the wrong way.

U.

Q. What letter is this?  A. Letter U, the first letter in umbrella, &c.  Q. Is letter U a vowel or consonant?  A. A vowel.  Q. What is the use of the umbrella?  A. To keep the rain off any body.  Q. What are umbrellas made of?  A. Some of silk and some of cotton.  Q. Which are the best?  A. Those that are made of silk.  Q. Is there any thing else in an umbrella?  A. Yes; whalebone.  Q. Where does whalebone come from?  A. Out of a large fish called a whale.  Q. Who made the whale?  A. Almighty God.

V.

Q. What letter is this?  A. Letter V, the first letter in vine, &c.  Q. What is a vine?  A. A thing that grows against the wall and produces grapes.  Q. Why does it not grow like another tree, and support its own weight?  A. Because it is not strong enough.  Q. Then it cannot grow and become fruitful in this country without man’s assistance?  A. No; and, please, sir, we cannot grow and become fruitful without the assistance of Almighty God.[A]

[Footnote A:  This answer was given by a child five-years of age.]