he was looked up to as the leading man in the neighborhood.

In some way, I do not know how, he had gotten a little knowledge of the
law. And at last, because of this as well as because of his sound
common sense, he was appointed judge of the court in his county.

This was several years after the war was over. He was now no longer
called Captain Webster, but Judge Webster.

It had been very hard for him to make a living for his large family on
the stony farm among the hills. But now his office as judge would bring
him three hundred or four hundred dollars a year. He had never had so
much money in his life.

"Judge Webster," said one of his neighbors, "what are you going to do
with the money that you get from your office? Going to build a new
house?"

"Well, no," said the judge. "The old house is small, but we have lived
in it a long time, and it still does very well."

"Then I suppose you are planning to buy more land?" said the neighbor.

"No, indeed, I have as much land now as I can cultivate. But I will tell
you what I am going to do with my money. I am going to try to educate
my boys. I would rather do this than have lands and houses."

* * * * *

II.--THE YOUNGEST SON.