ophole for complaint on any side. There were no very poor people then,
and there were no immensely rich. It is only by comparison that human
beings become discontented with their lot.

The widow's children had to work little harder than their neighbors.
Their mother labored with them in the fields, as well as paying full
attention to her household duties. She could swing an axe with most men
in the township, and was no mean shot with the rifle. She led the corn
hoeing and taught the older boys to do those things which were needful
about the farm. The crops during this summer prospered well, and after
clearing up and barreling the ashes made during the stump-burning, Enoch
and Bryce ploughed and harrowed the new piece along the creek's edge.
They sowed it to winter grain and hung "scare-crows" all about the field
to keep the wild birds from pulling up the tender shoots when they
appeared above the mold.

Besides leading her children in the work of the farm, Mistress Harding
paid more attention to their education than most parents of the
settlement could. There was a school in Bennington during the winter
months; but it was too far away for any of the Hardings to attend. But
the widow had been a school-teacher before her marriage and she had
brought some books with her from her old home. So part of almost every
day she taught her children. The girls and little Harry, who was just
learning his letters and "a-b, abs," studied during the daytime; but the
older boys did their lessons by the light of the candle dips, or lying
on the hearth before the dancing fire. Both summer and winter these
studies were kept up and therefore Enoch and his brothers and sisters
were rather farther advanced in learning than the other children of the
scattered community.

To this study Enoch took rather kindly; but to Bryce, who possessed more
of his father's roving disposition, the school hour was distasteful.
Bryce, too, complained more than a little because he was not allowed to
go to Bennington on training days. He was growing rapidly and was well
nigh as big as his brother, and he felt that he should be counted a
member of the military company.

This drilling in the manual of arms had become a very serious matter to
the Grants people. The Green Mountain Boys, which nickname had before
the end of the summer become fixed upon the bands, were divided into
four companies of which Seth Warner, 'Member Baker, Robert Cochran and
Gideon Warner