"But I learned it, and so will you. I can't imagine worse manners than
to put one's tongue in one's cheek; as a rule, I hang mine gracefully
out on one side.
"And I've no doubt it's a mistake to gnaw your fingers. I gnawed a good
deal in my puppyhood, but chewing my paws is a trick that I never tried.
"How you stand on one leg I cannot imagine; with my figure it's all I
can do to stand upon four.
"I balance biscuit on my nose. Do you? I jump through a hoop (an
atrocious trick, my dear, after one's first youth--and a full meal!)--I
bark three cheers for the Queen, and I shut the dining-room door.
"I lie flat on the floor at the word of command--In short, I've as many
tricks as you have, and every one of them counts to my credit;
"Whilst yours--so you say--only bring you into disgrace, which I could
not have thought possible if you had not said it.
"Indeed--but for the length of my experience and the solidity of my
judgment--this would tempt me to think your mamma a very foolish person,
and to advise you to disobey her; but I do _not_, Little Missis, for I
know
"That if you belong to good and kind people, it is well to let them
train you up in the way in which they think you should go.
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