, and
attempted to accompany Elizabeth Eliza on the piano. This, of course,
distracted him from his work on the Encyclopaedia. But he did not wish to
return to A until he felt perfect in music. This required a long time.

Then in this same paragraph a reference was made; in it he was requested
to "see Keys." It was necessary, then, to turn to "Keys." This was
about the time the family were moving, which we have mentioned, when the
difficult subject of keys came up, that suggested to him his own simple
invention, and the hope of getting a patent for it. This led him astray,
as inventions before have done with master-minds, so that he was drawn
aside from his regular study.

The family, however, were perfectly satisfied with the career Agamemnon
had chosen. It would help them all, in any path of life, if he should
master the Encyclopaedia in a thorough way.

Mr. Peterkin agreed it would in the end be not as expensive as a college
course, even if Agamemnon should buy all the different Encyclopaedias
that appeared.

There would be no "spreads" involved; no expense of receiving friends at
entertainments in college; he could live at home, so that it would not
be necessary to fit up another room, as at college. At all the times of
his leaving he had sold out favorably to other occupants.

Solomon John's destiny was more uncertain. He was looking forward
to being a doctor some time, but he had not decided whether to be
allopathic or homeopathic, or whether he could not better invent his own
pills. And he could not understand how to obtain his doctor's degree.

For a few weeks he acted as clerk in a druggist's store. But he could
serve only in the toothbrush and soap department, because it was found
he was not familiar enough with the Latin language to compound the
drugs. He agreed to spend his evenings in studying the Latin grammar;
but his course was interrupted by his being dismissed for treating the
little boys too frequently to soda.

The little boys were going through the schools regularly. The family had
been much exercised with regard to their education. Elizabeth Eliza
felt that everything should be expected from them; they ought to take
advantage from the family mistakes. Every new method that came up was
tried upon the little boys.

They had been taught spelling by all the different systems, and were
just able to read, when Mr. Peterkin learned that it was now considered
best that children should not be taugh