when more than half the pupils were older than he. Some of them said that James could spell every word in the book correctly. Whether he could or not, in choosing sides for a spelling-match, James was sure to be the first one chosen.

V..

BOY FARMER.

T eight years of age, James had his daily labor to perform as steadily as Thomas. The latter went out to work among the neighbors, often imposing thereby quite a responsibility upon James, who looked after the stock and farm at home. He could chop wood, milk cows, shell corn, cultivate vegetables, and do many other things that farmers must do.

It was very great assistance to the family when Thomas could earn a little money by his labor. That money procured some indispensable articles, the absence of which was a real privation both to mother and children. They needed more money now than ever, because all must have shoes, and all must have books, and there were the teachers to pay, and occasional meetings at the school-house now were some expense. So that the earnings of Thomas just met a demand of the time, in which every member of the household shared.

"You are eight years old, my son, and Thomas

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is seventeen," said Mrs. Garfield to James. "Thomas was not eleven years old when your father died, and he had to take your father's place on the farm. You must be getting ready to take Thomas's place, for he will soon be of age, and then he will have to go out into the world to seek his fortune, and you will have to take care of the farm.”

"I can do that," James answered.

"Not without learning how to do it," said his mother. "Practice makes perfect,' is an old and true proverb."

"I know that I can take care of the farm if Tom could," interrupted James, with some assurance. "Yes, when you are as old as he," suggested his mother.

-

"That is what I mean, when I get to be as old as he was.”

"I hope that some day you will do something better than farming," continued Mrs. Garfield.

"What is there better than farming?" James asked.

"It is better for some men to teach and preach. Wouldn't you like to teach school?"

"When I am old enough, I should.”

"Well, it won't be long before you are old enough. If you are qualified, you can teack, school when you are as old as Thomas is now."

"When I am seventeen?" James responded with some surprise. All of his teachers had been older than that, and he could scarcely see how he could do the same at seventeen.