have been a little too hard with him, but I've made up my mind if he
behaves as well as he's done so far, that he shall have a friend in his
Aunt Lucinda; he's the first boy that's ever been about the house that I
could endure at all, and I do believe he means well, and does his best
to please us, and that's more than can be said of most boys."

The busy season was over at last, and the harvest all gathered in; on
the following Monday I was to enter as a pupil at Fulton Academy. I had
long anxiously looked forward to this day, and now that it was so near,
I grew restless with expectation. I spent the Saturday afternoon roaming
among the old woods which skirted the farm on one side, and seated by
turns at the roots of some of the fine old trees, whose covering of
many-hued leaves had long since fallen to the ground, my thoughts wove
themselves into many bright forms, and many a purpose for good was
matured in my mind. I dreamed of a time when, by the unaided exertions
of manhood I would purchase ease and relaxation for my patient mother
and loving sister, and next to those of my own household I breathed a
wish for the happiness of the loved companion of my childhood Charley
Gray.




CHAPTER XI.


The important day arrived when I was to begin school-life at the Village
Academy, the day I had so long looked forward to with pleasant
anticipations. The teacher who had taught the Fulton Academy for several
years was a gentleman of high culture, and of sound judgment. Teaching