oir stood up, the leader struck the key with his tuning
fork, and when the "pitch" was duly recognized the last hymn was sung,
followed by the doxology and benediction. All hearts seemed to begin
life anew when the final "Amen" was pronounced, and although the long
hill had to be ascended, it took less time than it had to descend in the
morning. It was dinner time when the farm was again reached and all were
hungry. After the meal the family gathered in the parlor, with its
fragrant odor of musty walls, varnished maps and stuffy ancientness
which pervaded everything. Here the conversation dwelt upon the goodness
of the Lord, misfortunes of the sick in the neighborhood, news of which
had been learned at church, or other topics not too worldly. As sundown
approached the men folks commenced to get ready for the week's work and
changed their clothes, while the women got out aprons and put away their
"Sunday duds." By sunset the wash barrel was brought forth and the
laundry work for Monday commenced.

In the wagon-shed Uncle John had his scythe ready to grind, and as Jack
turned the stone he said to himself, "Uncle John bears down harder on
Sunday night than he does any other night in the week."

These visits to the old farm were at frequent intervals, so Jack had
ample opportunity to see real country life under all the different
aspects of maple-sugar making, planting, haying, cutting wood for the
year, and building stone walls. Berrying was about the greatest
enjoyment, next to catching brook trout, and such an abundance of
blackberries in the pastures and woods where portions of the timber had
been cut out! But the visits came to an end, inasmuch as Jack's father
"moved west" to one of the great flour-milling cities, which flourished
at the close of the Civil War.

In the west Jack received his final education, at sixteen taking leave
of Latin, algebra and rhetoric, with one term in the high school. During
the grammar school incubation Jack learned the difference between a
village teacher and a city ward instructor; also that the western city
ward boy had to fight occasionally, while the good New England lad was
in mortal disgrace if he ever presumed to raise his hands against a
fellow schoolmate. Jack had been warned time and again by his father not
to fight, as it was wicked, and severe punishment awaited all
demonstrations of anything in the nature of a "scrap."

It was but natural that a boy who would not fight sho