From Canal Boy to President

d earnestly across the clearing to the pathway that led through the surrounding fore

immy?" asked his mother from

for Thomas,

yet. He won't be through

sun would set q

en, my son. God makes the sun to r

r had died two years before, leaving a young widow, and four children, the eldest but nine, in sore straits. A long and severe winter lay before the litt

without her own supper, that her four children, who were blessed with hearty appetites, might be satisfied. But when twelve months had gone by, and the new harvest came

y little money in the log-cabin, or indeed in the whole settlement, if settlement it can be called. There was no house within

not far away called at the log-cabin. Thomas, the

to see moth

ant to s

e I am," said Thomas

you?" asked

years ol

ad shoulders, and muscular arms of the boy, and said,

ered Thomas, complac

re used to

ing the only boy. Of course, there is Jimmy, but he is

e want?" tho

on le

aid Mr. Conrad, though that was not his name. In fact, I

are me, but I can ask her," said Th

llars a month, but you'l

ith joy, for to him it seemed an immense sum-

ill let me go," he said.

and I'll wait

the plank door, an

e chances are that not one of my young readers is so poor as not to afford a better. Yet, it was not uncomfortable. It afforded fair protection from the heat of summer, and the cold of winter, and was after all far more

ire me to work on his farm, and he is willing

rad to come

red, and repeat

h, that spoke a decided character. She was just the woman to grapple with adversity, and turning her unwearied hands to any

uld be thrown upon her, but there was great lack of read

id slowly, "but I need the mone

" said Thom

et him come home?" w

aturday night. He shal

opping to change his clothes, for he had

d watching him when he was at work. Sometimes his brother gave the little fellow a trifle to do, and Jimmy was always pleased to help, f

nxious to see him than his little brother, and that was why Jimmy had come

as fast as short legs could

w I've missed

m around his little brother's neck. "I have mis

, y

is g

s. Garfield came out, and w

you, Thomas," she said.

well,

he wor

y long. I had to work

oy of your age to work,"

, laughing. "Besides, you must remember I ha

ilver half-dollars, and laid the

my?" asked his little

to mother. I g

east you ought to be consulted about how it shall

I want Jimmy to ha

hought he would like some shoes. In fact they would be hi

eld; "when you see the shoemaker ask him to c

op of his own, called at the log-cabin, measured Jimmy for a pair o

epoch in Jimmy Garfield's life, for it w