regularly.

Naturally, people of modest means lead a closer family life than those
who have plenty of servants to do everything for them. I count it a
blessing that I was of the former class. When I was seven or eight
years old I engaged in my first business enterprise with the
assistance of my mother. I owned some turkeys, and she presented me
with the curds from the milk to feed them. I took care of the birds
myself, and sold them all in business-like fashion. My receipts were
all profit, as I had nothing to do with the expense account, and my
records were kept as carefully as I knew how.

We thoroughly enjoyed this little business affair, and I can still
close my eyes, and distinctly see the gentle and dignified birds
walking quietly along the brook and through the woods, cautiously
stealing the way to their nests. To this day I enjoy the sight of a
flock of turkeys, and never miss an opportunity of studying them.

My mother was a good deal of a disciplinarian, and upheld the standard
of the family with a birch switch when it showed a tendency to
deteriorate. Once, when I was being punished for some unfortunate
doings which had taken place in the village school, I felt called upon
to explain after the whipping had begun that I was innocent of the
charge.

"Never mind," said my mother, "we have started in on this whipping,
and it will do for the next time." This attitude was maintained to its
final conclusion in many ways. One night, I remember, we boys could
not resist the temptation to go skating in the moonlight,
notwithstanding the fact that we had been expressly forbidden to