Malcolm Everett was not one to acknowledge superiority where there was none, and though ever polite toward Mrs. Livingstone, there was something in his manner which forbade her treating him as aught save an equal.  He was not to be trampled down, and for once in her life Mrs. Livingstone had found a person who would neither cringe to her nor flatter.  The children were not presented to him until dinner time, when, with the air of a young desperado, John Jr. marched into the dining-room, eying, his teacher askance, calculating his strength, and returning his greeting with a simple nod.  Mr. Everett scanned him from head to foot, and then turned to Carrie half smiling at the great dignity which she assumed.  With ’Lena and Anna he seemed better pleased, holding their hands and smiling down upon them through rows of teeth which Anna pronounced the whitest she had ever seen.

Mr. Livingstone was not at home, and when his mother appeared, Mrs. Livingstone did not think proper to introduce her.  But if by this omission she thought to keep the old lady silent, she was mistaken, for the moment Mrs. Nichols was seated, she commenced with, “Your name is Everett, I b’lieve?”

“Yes, ma’am,” said he, bowing very gracefully toward her.

“Any kin to the governor that was?”

“No, ma’am, none whatever,” and the white teeth became slightly visible for a moment, but soon disappeared.

“You are from Rockford, ’Lena tells me?”

“Yes, ma’am.  Have you friends there?”

“Yes—­or that is, Nancy Scovandyke’s sister, Betsy Scovandyke that used to be, lives there.  May be you know her.  Her name is Bacon—­Betsy Bacon.  She’s a widder and keeps boarders.”

“Ah,” said he, the teeth this time becoming wholly visible, “I’ve heard of Mrs. Bacon, but have not the honor of her acquaintance.  You are from the east, I perceive.”

“Law, now! how did you know that!” asked Mrs. Nichols, while Mr. Everett answered, “I guessed at it,” with a peculiar emphasis on the word guessed, which led ’Lena to think he had used it purposely and not from habit.

Mr. Everett possessed in a remarkable degree the faculty of making those around him both respect and like him, and ere six weeks had passed, he had won the love of all his pupils.  Even John Jr. was greatly improved, and Carrie seemed suddenly reawakened into a thirst for knowledge, deeming no task too long, and no amount of study too hard, if it won the commendation of her teacher.  ’Lena, who committed to memory with great ease, and who consequently did not deserve so much credit for her always perfect lessons, seldom received a word of praise, while poor Anna, notoriously lazy when books were concerned, cried almost every day, because as she said, “Mr. Everett didn’t like her as he did the rest, else why did he look at her so much, watching her all the while, and keeping her after school to get her lessons over, when he knew how she hated them.”