other would let him go down to the old house. "You see
I have to study very hard, now," said he, with a disdainful toss of his
books to the walk; "and I don't love it, Nannie, but mother says she
wants me to be a great man one of these days, and that's the way to
bring it about. I don't see though how it will do it, if I study all my
life and don't learn any thing!"

"But," said Nannie, "you ought to try to improve since you have the
means to get a good education; I wish mother was rich enough to send me
to school all the time!" and she took the satchel and looked over the
books with a wistful air, while Sammy amused himself with the child.

"There's the old bell," said he, as the first faint tones came gratingly
to his ear, "and I suppose I must go; I'm sure I'd rather play than sit
bending over my desk all day, but good-by, Nannie, when I'm bigger I'll
come to see you as often as I've a mind;" and away he ran, while Nannie
stood looking after him and wishing for the very privilege that he
spurned.

It would have done her some good, but Mr. Bond thought "she knew enough
already. She could read, write, and cipher, and didn't she know
Pilgrim's Progress from beginning to end; that was all he had ever
learned, and hadn't he gone through life well enough so far!"

You are a nice good-hearted jolly old man, Peter Bond, and your merry
happy face and amiable temper will compensate for any deficiency in
intellectual attainment; but Nannie Bates has a craving mind, and it
must have nourishment. You don't know how early she is out of her bed,
stowed away in Mrs. Minturn's attic with a book in her hand, nor how
many pages she devours while nursing Dora. She does not neglect her
little charge, but invents a thousand ways to keep her pleased and
contented, while she gleans a little more knowledge every day. It's
astonishing how much the girl has gained already, and she has a double
motive in it, too; there's another mind waiting to have it imparted, and
the two expand, night after night, as they give their gathered ideas to
each other in the one short hour. It's not much time, but it
accumulates, in one year, thirty days! think of it! Supposing it were
spent in foolish talking and jesting, or in parading the walks with the
other boys and girl! there would be thirty days wasted, and two minds
robbed, and two intelligent faces despoiled of their chief attractions.
Pat has grown quite fine-looking since the obtuse look has given pl