ted him.

From the academy he advanced to be teacher of the district school on
Corser Hill, in West Boscawen, but after three weeks of pedagogy was
obliged to leave on account of sickness. He passed the remainder of
the winter in lumbering, rising at 4 A. M. to feed his team of horses.
While breakfast was preparing he studied books, ate the meal by
candle-light, and then was off with his lunch of cold meat, bread, and
apple pie. From the woods to the bank of the Merrimac the distance was
three miles, and three or four trips were made daily in drawing the
long and heavy logs to the water. Returning home after dark, he ate
supper by candle-light, fed his horses, and gave an hour to study
before bedtime.

The summer of 1844 was one of hard toil on the farm. In July he became
of age, and during the autumn worked on his brother-in-law's farm,
rising at five and frequently finishing about 9 P. M. It is no wonder
that all through his life Mr. Coffin showed a deep sympathy, born of
personal experience, with men who are bound down to physical toil.
Nevertheless, the fine arts were not neglected. He had already
learned to play the "seraphine," the instrument which has been
developed into the reed organ. He started the project, in 1842, of
getting one for the church. By great efforts sixty dollars were raised
and an instrument purchased in Concord. Mr. Coffin became the
"organist," and also taught singing in the schoolhouse. Three of his
nieces, excellent singers, assisted him.

The time had now come for the young man to strike out in the world for
himself. Like most New England youth, his eyes were on Boston. With a
recommendation from his friend, the minister, he took the stage to
Concord. The next day he was in Boston, then a city of 75,000 people,
with the water dashing against the embankment of Charles Street,
opposite the Common, and with only one road leading out to Roxbury.
Sloops and schooners, loaded with coal and timber, sailed over the
spot where afterwards stood his house, at No. 81 Dartmouth Street. In
a word, the "Back Bay" and "South End" were then unknown. Boston city,
shaped like a pond lily laid flat, had its long stem reaching to the
solid land southward on the Dorchester and Roxbury hills.

Young Carleton went to Mount Vernon Church on Ashburton Place, the
pastor, Dr. E. N. Kirk, being in the prime of his power, and the
church crowded. The country boy from New Hampshire became a member of
the choir and en