When dinner was over, Mr. Taylor said: “Julius, would you like to go out with me and see the farm?”
“I thought you were going to play with me,” said little Carrie, disappointed.
“Julius can’t play with you all the time, my dear,” said her mother. “After supper perhaps he will.”
“Shall I change him into a doll?” asked her father. “Then he’ll have to stay in.”
“No,” said Carrie; “I like a boy better.”
“I suppose you don’t know much about farming, Julius?” said Mr. Taylor, after supper.
“Some horses know considerable about farming, or at least have a chance to,” said his new guardian, with a smile.
“Oh, yes,” said Julius, confidently. “It won’t take me long.”
“I shall put you in charge of Abner, who will give you some instruction. You will begin to-morrow morning with helping him to milk.”
“He gets up at five o’clock. He will knock at your door, as he comes downstairs. He sleeps on the floor above. Now I want to ask a few questions about other matters. I suppose your education has been neglected.”
“I carried a bundle of books from a bookseller in Nassau Street to one of the purfessors of Columbia College.”
“If that is the extent of your educational advantages, you probably still have something to learn. Have you been to school?”
“Not much. I went to evenin’ school a few times.”
“I can read a little, but I have to skip the hard words. I ain’t much on writin’.”
“Here is a little book of fairy stories. You can read one aloud to Carrie.”
“I can’t read well enough,” said Julius, drawing back reluctantly.
“That is just what I want to find out,” said Mr. Taylor. “Don’t be bashful. If you can’t read well, you shall have a chance to improve.”
“Are you going to read me a story, Julius?” asked little Carrie, delighted.
He began to read, but it soon became evident that he had not exaggerated his ignorance. He hesitated and stumbled, miscalled easy words, and made very slow progress, so that Carrie, who had been listening attentively, without getting much idea of the story, said, discontentedly, “Why, how funny you read, Julius! I like better to hear papa read.”
“I knew I couldn’t do it,” said Julius, disconcerted, as he laid down the book.
“You will soon be able to,” said Mr. Taylor, encouragingly. “Now I will tell you what I propose to do. In the forenoon, up to dinner time, you shall work on the farm, and in the afternoon I will assign you lessons to be recited in the evening. Would you like that?”