through his life. He had an opinion of his own, and maintained it, in his youth, as he has done in later life. He would not knowingly defend even a schoolcompanion in wrong-doing. He repudiated the socalled "code of honor" in schools, requiring boys to support each other, whether right or wrong.

The fall term was a very profitable one to James. His scholarship became fully established. He led the school in talents and progress. He paid all his bills, also, by his daily labor in the carpenter's shop, and had several dollars left for pocket-money at the close of the term.

mother.

XVII.

KEEPING SCHOOL.

HE next day after James reached home, at the close of the term, he started out to find a situation as teacher.

"When will you return?" inquired his

"When I get a school. Somehow I feel as if it would be a hard matter to get a school."

"I hope not, my son," answered his mother, rejoicing in her heart that James was going to be a teacher, and not a sailor.

"I hope not," responded James; "but I don't seem to feel as elated over the prospect as I did once. I shall do my best, however, and I may be gone several days."

James took the most favorable route, on foot, and made his first application about ten miles from home.

"You are too young," replied the committee to his application; "we don't want a boy to teach our school."

"I have a recommendation from Mr. Branch, Principal of the Geauga Seminary;" and he proceeded to exhibit his testimonials.

"No matter about that," replied the committeeman. "No doubt you know enough, but you can't make yourself any older than you be; that's the trouble. We've had boy's enough keep our school."

This was quite a damper upon the ardor of James; and he left the man, and continued his journey, reflecting upon the value of age to pedagogues.

The next school district that he reached had engaged a teacher.

"If you had come a week ago, I'd hired yer," the man said.

It was encouraging to James that he had found a district where age was not an absolute requirement. He thought better of youth now.

Possibly in the Norton District they've not a teacher yet," the man added.

"Where's that?" inquired James.

"About three miles north of here," pointing with his finger. "Go to Mr. Nelson; he's the man you want ter see. He'll hire yer, if he's no teacher."

James posted away to the Norton District, and found Mr. Nelson, just about dark.

"Just found a teacher, young man, and hired him," Mr. Nelson said. "Can't very well hire an

other."

"Of course not," answered James; "and perhap} the one you hired needs the chance as much as I do," "Perhaps so; he's trying to get an education."

.

"So am I," responded James.

"Where?"

"At Geauga Seminary."

"Ah! we had a teacher from that seminary two years ago, and he was as good a teacher as we ever had."

"That is fortunate for me," remarked James, pleasantly. "If he had not proved a good teacher you would not want another from that institution."

"Very like," replied Mr. Nelson. "But come, you can't look after any more schools to-night; it is getting dark. Come in, and stop over night with us." James accepted the cordial invitation, stopped with the family over night, and, on the following day, continued his school-hunting trip. But he did not find a school. He met with one committee-man who declined to hire him because "We had one feller from Gaga Siminary, and he made sich a botch of it that we don't want another."

After two days of hard work in the vain search for a school, James reached home more thoroughly discouraged than his mother ever knew him to be before.

"It is impossible to find a school; most of them have teachers engaged," said James. And he gave a full account of his travels and disappointments.

"Perhaps the Lord has something better for you in store, James," answered his mother. "It is not best for you to be discouraged, after you have overcome so many obstacles."

James did not tell his mother that if the Lord had

anything better in store for him he would be obliged if he would make it known; but he thought so.

"You are tired enough to go to bed," added his mother; "and to-morrow you can talk with your Uncle Amos about it."

Uncle Amos was their counsellor in all times of trial; and James accepted the suggestion as a kind of solace, and retired.

The next morning, before he was up, he heard a man call to his mother from the road.

"Widow Garfield!"

She responded by going to the door. "Where's your boy, Jim!"

"He is at home. He is not up yet," Mrs. Garfield replied, a little curious to know what he wanted of James so early in the morning.

"I wonder if he'd like to keep our school at the Ledge this winter," the man continued.

James bounded out of bed at the sound of the word school, beginning to think that Providence had sent an angel, in the shape of a man, to bring the "something better," which his mother told about. He stood face to face with the man in an incredibly brief period. The caller was a well-known neighbor, living only a mile away, and the school for which he wanted a teacher was not much further than that.

"How is it, Jim; will you keep our school at the Ledge this winter?" he inquired.

"I want a school," was James' indirect reply. He knew the character of the school, that it was rough and boisterous, and he hesitated.