course, at that time, we knew nothing of who or what he was, beyond
an assurance incidentally given by our pastor, that he was the worthiest
young man of his acquaintance, and that he hoped we would entertain him
in the best way we could, as his passion for the pursuits he discovered
me to be engaged in, coupled with what he had learned of the great
object I had in view, had so much interested him in my behalf that he
thought it likely Mr. Logan would often come down to watch my progress,
and very possibly in some way assist me. This recommendation was quite
sufficient to make him a welcome visitor at our little homestead. But
even without that, we all felt he would have no difficulty in winning
his way wherever he might think it desirable to make a favorable
impression. Though he was evidently highly educated, and had been
brought up in a superior circle to ours, and, for aught we knew, might
be very wealthy, yet his whole manner was so free from pretension to
superiority of any kind, that we never felt the least constraint in his
company.

Well, as I was saying, Mr. Logan came down to assist me in my weeding.
Jane had gone to the factory, telling me that I should have help enough
to do her share of the hoeing. I was really not sorry for her absence,
as she seemed to have taken up some very strange notions, which led her
into remarks that annoyed me. Besides, she was sometimes so impetuous in
giving utterance to these notions, that I was afraid she might
thoughtlessly break out where he would overhear. I might have had other
reasons, not worth while to allude to, for not regretting her absence;
but this dangerous propensity was quite sufficient. Hence that was a
most agreeable morning. It is true that my mother was a good deal
absent, having something extra to do within doors, thus leaving Mr.
Logan and myself sole tenants of the garden for probably an hour at a
time. But it did not occur to me that her presence would have made the
time pass away any more quickly, or that any remarks from her would have
made our interchange of ideas more interesting. There was abundance of
conversation between us, as he seemed at no fault for either words or
topics. Then there were long pauses in the work, when we would rest upon
the handles of our hoes, and discuss some point that one of us had
started. On these occasions I was struck with the extreme politeness and
deference of his manner toward me. The very tones of his voice were
d