with _real_
afflictions of a very trying nature, even to the most hopeful; and it
may be that the presence of real troubles, has put to flight many which
were only imaginary; and she may by this time have learned to be
thankful for whatever of blessings may yet be left her in her path
through life.

EDWARD BARTON.

My schoolmate Edward Barton, or 'Ned' as he was usually called
by the boys, was such an odd character in his way, that I trust my
readers will pardon me for introducing him to their notice. His father
was a physician in a distant village, and was justly esteemed among the
residents of the place. He had an extensive practice both in the village
and surrounding country, and his time was very much occupied; and as Ned
grew up he proved a source of constant anxiety to his father, who, being
unable to keep him under his own eye, at length decided to send him to
reside with some relatives in a farming district some twenty miles
distant from his home. Ned's disposition was a singular compound of good
and evil, and his conduct depended in a great measure, upon the
companions he associated with. He was easily persuaded, and often during
his father's frequent and lengthened absences from home he played truant
from school, and associated with the worst boys in the village. I well
remember the first morning he entered our school. He was then about
twelve years of age; but, owing to his carelessness and inattention, he
had made but slight progress in study. I learned afterwards that he had
so long borne the names of "dunce" and "blockhead" in the school he
attended in his own village, that he supposed himself to be really such,
and made up his mind that it was useless for him to try to be anything
else: and I think when our teacher first called him up for examination
he was inclined to be of the same opinion. The teacher first addressed
him by saying, "How far have you advanced in reading, my boy?" "Don't
know sir, never thought anything about how far I've been." "Well, at
least," replied the master, "you can tell me the names of the books you
have studied, in reading and spelling." "Oh, yes," replied the boy,
"I've been clean through 'Webster's Elementary and the Progressive
Reader.'" "Can you tell me the subject of any of your lessons?" "I can
just remember one story about a dog that was crossing a river on a plank
with a piece of meat in his mouth, and when he saw his shadder in the
water, made a spring at it