sense of hearing, nor obscure the language of the orator.
He never heard better in his life, and, in but few instances, never felt
himself better paid for his effort to hear an oration.

It was known in the shop, before work began in the afternoon, that Nat
had gone just as he was to hear the eulogy, and it created some
merriment.

"He is a real book-worm," said one; "he always carries a book in his
pocket to read when he is not at work."

"Well, I can hardly make out what he is, for he never says much," said
another. "He seems to be thinking about something all the time, and yet
he attends to his work. He is a queer genius, I guess."

"He is no ignoramus, you may depend on that," said a third. "A chap with
such an eye as his knows his P's and Q's. He says little, and thinks the
more."

"And then," added the first speaker, "a fellow who will go without his
dinner to hear a speech must have a pretty good appetite for knowledge,
unless he is obliged to diet."

"He'll have a good appetite for supper, I'm thinking," said another,
rather dryly.

Nat heard the eulogy, and was back again to his work within three hours.
There were some smiling faces as he entered the shop, and he could very
readily read the thoughts behind them.

"Was you in time?" inquired the fellow-workman with whom he had the
conversation about going.

"I could not have hit better," Nat replied, "if I had known the precise
minute the eulogy would commence. It was good, too; and a greater crowd
I never saw."

"There would not have been room for me if I had gone, then?"

"No; _I_ just made out the complement. I took the last place there was,
and it was a close fit for me."

"How did you like Mr. Adams?"

"Better than I expected. I had not formed a very exalted idea of his
eloquence, perhaps because I have heard Webster and Everett, but he was
really eloquent, and spoke evidently without any political or partisan
prejudices. He appears older than I expected."

"He is getting to be an old man, and he has been through enough to make
him gray long ago."

"I am glad to have heard him," added Nat. "Perhaps I might never have
had another opportunity."

This incident is another illustration of the sacrifices Nat would make
to hear public speakers, and to acquire knowledge, whenever he could. A
commendable enthusiasm is apparent here as elsewhere, in seeking the
object desired. All those leading traits of his character, that we have
seen were so