Agnes passes a test, of sorts

It was a slow day at the shed, the first frost had happened overnight and no one really wanted to be outdoors in the cold. The cast iron combination cooking and heating stove was throwing off a pleasant warmth and the folks who were present tended to stay close by.

Farm Girl leaned back in Uncle Mac's disreputable ancient easy chair. She had her feet up on the table and was reading a magazine as she waited for her toenail polish to dry.

"Kids really have it easy today", she observed, "probably too easy. I'm looking at a test for third graders from around 1888 and they wanted them to write a sentence using the word, 'Ergo', demonstrating comprehension of it's meaning. What third grader could do that today?"



YOU WERE HOPING FOR A PEEK AT
FARM GIRL DRYING HER TOENAIL POLISH,
WEREN'T YOU, YOU LECHER. BUT INSTEAD
YOU GET AUNT AGNES, TREATING HER
DRY THROAT.



"Hell that's easy," said Agnes, "Any damned fool can do that' un."

Farm Girl peered at her over the magazine.

"Ok, Aggie. What have you got?"

"Well", said Agnes, stopping to take a pull on her longneck, "How about: 'Right about now I don't know if I should stay er go?' "

"Sound about right?"

"Oh, about." said Farm Girl and wiggled her toes.