He was indentured to old Squire
Higgins. The Squire was a hard master; and in those days a bound boy was
not much better off than a slave, any how. Up early in the morning "doing
chores," running all day, and bringing the cows from the pasture in the
evening, he was kept always busy. The terms of his indenture obligated
the Squire to send him to school three months in the winter; and it was a
delightful time to him when he took his seat on the backless benches of
the old log school-house, with its one window, and that a long, low one,
and its wide old fireplace. He learned to "read, write, and cypher" very
fast. And in the summer time, when he was employed in throwing clods off
the corn after the plough, he had only to go once across the field while
the plough went twice. By hurrying, he could get considerable time to
wait at each alternate row. This time he spent in studying. He hid away
his book in the fence-corner, and by concealing himself a few minutes in
the weeds while he waited for the plough, he could manage to learn
something in a day.
After he grew larger the Squire failed to send him to school. When asked
about it, he said, "Wal, I 'low he knows a good deal more'n I do now, an'
'taint no sort o' use to learn so much.
Pages:
129
130
131
132
133
134
135
136
137
138
139
140
141
142
143
144
145
146
147
148
149
150
151
152
153