of my guard-bed, was my
seat to study in; my knapsack was my book-case; a bit of board lying on
my lap was my writing table; and the task did not demand any thing like
a year of my life. I had no money to purchase candle or oil; in winter
time it was rarely that I could get any evening light but that of the
fire, and only my turn of even that. And if I, under such
circumstances, and without parent or friend to advise or encourage me,
accomplished this undertaking, what excuse can there be for any youth,
however poor, however pressed with business, or however circumstanced as
to room or other conveniences? To buy a pen or a sheet of paper I was
compelled to forego some portion of food, though in a state of half
starvation; I had no moment of time that I could call my own; and I had
to read and write amidst the talking, laughing, singing, whistling, and
brawling of at least half a score of the most thoughtless of men, and
that, too, in the hours of their freedom from all control. Think not
lightly of the farthing that I had to give, now and then, for ink, pen,
or paper! That farthing was, alas! a great sum to me! I was as tall as I
am now; I had great health and great exercise. The whole of the money,
not expended for us at market, was two-pence a week for each man. I
remember, and well I may, that on one occasion I, after all necessary
expenses, had, on Friday, made shifts to have a halfpenny in reserve,
which I had destined for the purchase of a red herring in the morning;
but when I pulled off my clothes at night, so hungry then as to be
hardly able to endure life, I found that I had lost my halfpenny! I
buried my head under the miserable sheet and rug, and cried like a
child! And again I say, if I, under circumstances like these, could
encounter and overcome this task, is there, can there be, in the whole
world, a youth to find an excuse for the non-performance?"

Nat had no time to converse with his parents at noon concerning his new
business--his time was occupied, after dinner, until the factory bell
rung, in giving a history of his surprise at meeting Charlie there. His
parents were surprised too, as they had not heard that he intended to
work in the mill.

"I am glad for you," said his mother, "that Charlie is to work with you,
though I am sorry that his parents are so poor as to make it necessary.
Charlie is a noble boy, and I know you have a good companion when you
have him."

"We can take books from the li