it as a great business in life. There
are one or two instances which show this part of his character in a light
that is beautiful.

4. One day, after having received his highest honors, he was sitting and
reading in his parlor. A roguish student, in a room close by, held a
looking-glass in such a position as to pour the reflected rays of the sun
directly in Mr. Sherman's face. He moved his chair, and the thing was
repeated. A third time the chair was moved, but the looking-glass still
reflected the sun in his eyes. He laid aside his book, went to the window,
and many witnesses of the impudence expected to hear the ungentlemanly
student severely reprimanded. He raised the window gently, and then--shut
the window blind!

5. I can not forbear adducing another instance of the power he had
acquired over himself. He was naturally possessed of strong passions; but
over these he at length obtained an extraordinary control. He became
habitually calm, sedate, and self-possessed. Mr. Sherman was one of those
men who are not ashamed to maintain the forms of religion in their
families. One morning he called them all together, as usual, to lead them
in prayer to God; the "old family Bible" was brought out, and laid on the
table.

6. Mr. Sherman took his seat, and placed beside him one of his children, a
child of his old age; the rest of the family were seated around the room;
several of these were now grown up. Besides these, some of the tutors of
the college were boarders in the family, and were present at the time
alluded to. His aged and superannuated mother occupied a corner of the
room, opposite the place where the distinguished judge sat.

7. At length, he opened the Bible, and began to read. The child who was
seated beside him made some little disturbance, upon which Mr. Sherman
paused and told it to be still. Again he proceeded; but again he paused to
reprimand the little offender, whose playful disposition would scarcely
permit it to be still. And this time he gently tapped its ear. The blow,
if blow it might be called, caught the attention of his aged mother, who
now, with some effort, rose from the seat, and tottered across the room.
At length she reached the chair of Mr. Sherman, and, in a moment, most
unexpectedly to him, she gave him a blow on the ear with all the force she
could summon. "There," said she, "you strike your child, and I will strike
mine."

8. For a moment, the blood was seen mounting to the face of