en
he is supposed to be doing chores. There were no chores in the Arabian
Nights; the boy there had but to rub the ring and summon a genius, who
would feed the calves and pick up chips and bring in wood in a minute.
It was through this emblazoned portal that the boy walked into the world
of books, which he soon found was larger than his own, and filled with
people he longed to know.

And the farmer-boy is not without his sentiment and his secrets, though
he has never been at a children's party in his life, and, in fact, never
has heard that children go into society when they are seven, and give
regular wine-parties when they reach the ripe age of nine. But one of
his regrets at having the summer school close is dimly connected with a
little girl, whom he does not care much for, would a great deal rather
play with a boy than with her at recess,--but whom he will not see again
for some time,--a sweet little thing, who is very friendly with John,
and with whom he has been known to exchange bits of candy wrapped up in
paper, and for whom he cut in two his lead-pencil, and gave her half.
At the last day of school she goes part way with John, and then he turns
and goes a longer distance towards her home, so that it is late when
he reaches his own. Is he late? He did n't know he was late; he came
straight home when school was dismissed, only going a little way home
with Alice Linton to help her carry her books. In a box in his chamber,
which he has lately put a padlock on, among fishhooks and lines and
baitboxes, odd pieces of brass, twine, early sweet apples, pop-corn,
beechnuts, and other articles of value, are some little billets-doux,
fancifully folded, three-cornered or otherwise, and written, I will
warrant, in red or beautifully blue ink. These little notes are parting
gifts at the close of school, and John, no doubt, gave his own in
exchange for them, though the writing was an immense labor, and the
folding was a secret bought of another boy for a big piece of sweet
flag-root baked in sugar, a delicacy which John used to carry in his
pantaloons-pocket until his pocket was in such a state that putting his
fingers into it was about as good as dipping them into the sugar-bowl
at home. Each precious note contained a lock or curl of girl's hair,--a
rare collection of all colors, after John had been in school many terms,
and had passed through a great many parting scenes,--black, brown, red,
tow-color, and some that looked l