time is
not far distant when a return movement will begin. Domestic markets in
the vicinity of the great wheat fields will create a demand for other
products. With the exhaustion of the soil will come the necessity for
the use of artificial manures. Thus will be established a permanent
condition of comparative equality between the East and the West.

Already the process has commenced in the culture of Indian corn. For a
time the farmers of New England were unable to raise corn, even for
farm use, in competition with the West. The fodder of the corn has now
become valuable to farmers who produce milk for market, and already
they are finding it profitable to raise corn, even when the price at
the door does not exceed fifty cents per bushel. Coincident with these
changes the States of the East have increased in population, and the
proportion who live in cities is increasing at a greater ratio even.
The railway system and the system of protection to American industry
have been the chief instruments in the augmentation of population
generally, and of the gains to cities. These changes have inured to
the benefit of the Eastern farmers.

[* Old election in Massachusetts was the last Wednesday in May, when,
under the Constitution of 1780, the governor was inaugurated.]

IV
SCHOOLS AND SCHOOL-KEEPING

Of my pupils at Pound Hill an unusually large proportion were advanced
in years.* Several of the boys were my seniors, and in size they had
quite an advantage over me, although my weight was then about 165
pounds. That class gave me very little trouble. The unruly boys were
those between ten and fifteen years of age. With a few exceptions the
leading people of the town were well-to-do farmers, and nearly every
week brought an invitation to a party at the house of some one of them.
An attendance of more than fifty persons was not an uncommon occurrence.
The term of the school was limited by the money, and either from the
extra cost of firewood, or some other unusual expense, the school was
brought to a close two or three days sooner than was expected. My
father was to come for me on a day named, but when my school was over,
and I was free, I concluded to walk home, a distance of about six
miles, and return for my clothes when convenient.

Just at that time there had been a heavy, warm rain, and a melting of
snow, which had raised the streams. When I reached the bridge at the
brook on the west side of Flat Hill,