If we had not had them we could not have lost them, and
there are plenty more of the same kind for the picking." Mother turned
toward me, and said, with a look I will always remember, "My boy,
whatever happens, you never get discouraged." I did not see the use of
losing courage and I think the only time I weakened was when father
died, as he could not be replaced.

[Illustration: The Pigs Commit Larceny]

We went on talking and picking berries, and before we knew it the basket
was full again and the pails. It was now night so mother took the bushel
basket on her head and I took the pails and we were soon home. That
night mother took my clothing, as was customary, and washed and pressed
it so I would look nice and clean to go to market the next day. As I
only had one outfit of clothes I had necessarily to go without them
during the washing process, however, mother always kept me clean, at
considerable labor on her part. The next morning, early, mother and I
started for town, five miles distant, walking along the hot, dusty road,
each of us with a basket of berries on our heads and bunches of
cucumbers in our hands, mother having much the larger load, but she was
a very strong woman. As it chanced we had a lucky day and sold our stock
of berries and cucumbers in a short time. We then bought what we needed
and had a little money left but for all that, I was not quite satisfied.
I wanted mother to buy something that was not necessary, but she said,
"My son, if we don't save a few cents now what will it be later on? We
will have to go to the poorhouse." I said, "Dear mother if there is a
house poorer than ours I don't want to see it." I will always remember
the sight of mother's face as she turned to me, the tears running down
her cheeks as she answered, "Yes, my son, you are right there are few
houses poorer than ours now." The same year when fall came mother and I
thought we had the bull by the horns. There were several fine groves of
walnut, hickory nut, chestnut and shirly bark nut trees in the woods and
I made a sleigh on which I nailed a big box. I tied a rope for a tongue
and with a stick on the end, mother and I working as a sort of double
team would draw through the woods among the trees gathering the
different kinds of nuts and as the box was big, large quantities could
be gathered in this manner. During the nut season we worked every day
from morning to night, gathering large quantities of nuts for which we
alwa