While  engaged  in  the  lively  exercises  of  calisthenics  and
games,  each  little  one's  attention  was  engrossed  by  its
own  bodily  exercises,  but  when  they  came  to  the  monot-
onous marching,  they  seemed  to  have  thought  and  energy  to
devote  to  each  other,  and  all  around  the  ring,  as  they  were
keeping  step  in  their  marching  to  the  religious  song  they
were  singing,  two-thirds  of  the  children  began  to  tease  the
child  in  front  of  it.  One  boy  took  hold  of  the  braids  of
hair  hanging  from  the  head  of  a  girl  in  front  of  him  and


236  RODGER  LATIMER'S  MISTAKE

twitching  them,  drove  her  as  he  would  a  horse.  A  little
girl  caught  the  skirt  of  the  dress  of  a  still  smaller  girl  in
front  of  her  and  drawing  it  so  tightly,  that  the  child  could
not  step,  tripped  her  up  on  her  nose.  Wo  to  the  boy
who  had  a  button  in  sight  on  the  back  of  his  clothes!  It
was  seized  by  the  one  behind  him,  and  twisted  and
twitched  until  the  thread  gave  way  and  it  came  off  of
the  garment,  or  the  wearer  was  pulled  by  the  force
applied,  out  of  his  place  on  the  circle.  Apron  strings  and
suspenders  were  laid  hold  of  wherever  seen,  but  the
loose  hair  hanging  around  the  necks  of  the  girls  was  the
most  convenient  source  of  fun  and  torture,  and  not  many
heads  escaped.  Big  boys  pulled  the  hair  of  big  girls,
and  girls  of  the  same  size  laid  hold  of  each  other's  flying
locks  with  a  playful  and  half  diabolical  fury.
