and a brother. His business was not regarded as
demeaning, and frequently was an apprenticeship to that of a store
keeper, and he might, and sometimes did, become the rich merchant of a
great city. Many young men peddled small wares, books and pictures
between terms to help themselves in paying for their education. So
Reuben Daboll was no phenomenon; but his philosophy was phenomenal, at
least to me, and kept me awake on the nights when the evening had been
spent with him. It kept me awake, I say, for I never could reason far,
and trying to think gave me a headache. I was perplexed by a thousand
problems, my own, and those propounded by my companions and elders, and
others suggested in books; and I wondered if Daboll's way was not an
easier and shorter method of answer than the pros and cons of argument.
It is interesting now for me to reflect upon the two influences
following each other so closely, that were quickening my own faculties;
for they were in direct contrast with each other; one, the animated
debates and attempted logical presentation of a subject with its related
facts, as presented at the Worcester Academy; and this new method of
passive receptivity, this opening of the inner eye of the mind to
receive impressions. It was a long time before I could experiment with
any success in this new direction, for I was of an active and impatient
temperament, longing to hurry to an end that I might begin something
new, and wishing to arrive rather than to profit by each day's march. As
I grew to maturity, the latter method was more congenial and became of
more practical use to me, and one of my favorite mottoes has been, "Our
thoughts are a pious reception."

The winter school being over in the spring, I returned to Worcester
Academy feeling older and more sobered. I began Latin with a dim idea of
going to college, how and when, I did not dare to forecast. I was not as
happy as formerly in the school. The debates, compositions and
declamations interested me less, and I should have been quite dull
except for some young girls at the Oread Institute. This institution had
just been opened on the hill, directly opposite our academy. It was not
within speaking distance, but was within writing and signalling
distance. All intercourse between the girl students and ourselves was
prohibited. I have frequently noticed this juxtaposition of schools for
the sexes, and also that laws of non-intercourse are enacted for no
other purp