On the forward deck, when we were under way again, amid a group reading and nodding in the sunshine, we found a pretty girl with a companion and a gentleman, whom we knew by intuition as the “pa” of the pretty girl and of our night of anguish.  The pa might have been a clergyman in a small way, or the proprietor of a female boarding-school; at any rate, an excellent and improving person to travel with, whose willingness to impart information made even the travelers long for a pa.  It was no part of his plan of this family summer excursion, upon which he had come against his wish, to have any hour of it wasted in idleness.  He held an open volume in his hand, and was questioning his daughter on its contents.  He spoke in a loud voice, and without heeding the timidity of the young lady, who shrank from this public examination, and begged her father not to continue it.  The parent was, however, either proud of his daughter’s acquirements, or he thought it a good opportunity to shame her out of her ignorance.  Doubtless, we said, he is instructing her upon the geography of the region we are passing through, its early settlement, the romantic incidents of its history when French and English fought over it, and so is making this a tour of profit as well as pleasure.  But the excellent and pottering father proved to be no disciple of the new education.  Greece was his theme and he got his questions, and his answers too, from the ancient school history in his hand.  The lesson went on: 

“Who was Alcibiades?

“A Greek.”

“Yes.  When did he flourish?”

“I can’t think.”

“Can’t think?  What was he noted for?”

“I don’t remember.”

“Don’t remember?  I don’t believe you studied this.”

“Yes, I did.”

“Well, take it now, and study it hard, and then I’ll hear you again.”

The young girl, who is put to shame by this open persecution, begins to study, while the peevish and small tyrant, her pa, is nagging her with such soothing remarks as, “I thought you’d have more respect for your pride;” “Why don’t you try to come up to the expectations of your teacher?” By and by the student thinks she has “got it,” and the public exposition begins again.  The date at which Alcibiades “flourished” was ascertained, but what he was “noted for” got hopelessly mixed with what Thernistocles was “noted for.”  The momentary impression that the battle of Marathon was fought by Salamis was soon dissipated, and the questions continued.

“What did Pericles do to the Greeks?”

“I don’t know.”

“Elevated ’em, did n’t he?  Did n’t he elevate Pem?”

“Yes, sir.”

“Always remember that; you want to fix your mind on leading things. 
Remember that Pericles elevated the Greeks.  Who was Pericles?

“He was a”—­

“Was he a philosopher?”

“Yes, sir.”

“No, he was n’t.  Socrates was a philosopher.  When did he flourish?”