, made himself so agreeable to everybody that he
unconsciously turned the heads of half the girls in the room, who
unanimously pronounced him "quite the gentleman."

This was the last as well as the gayest party of the holidays. It broke
up at twelve midnight, because the next day was Sunday.

On Monday Ishmael arose early and walked over to Rushy Shore, opened his
schoolhouse, lighted a fire in it, and sat down at his teacher's desk to
await the arrival of his pupils.

About eight or nine o'clock they began to come, by ones, twos, and
threes; some attended by their parents and some alone. Rough-looking
customers they were, to be sure; shock-headed, sun-burned, and
freckle-faced girls and boys of the humblest class of "poor whites," as
they were called in the slave States.

Ishmael received them, each and all, with that genial kindness which
always won the hearts of all who knew him.

In arranging his school and classifying his pupils, Ishmael found the
latter as ignorant, stubborn, and froward as they had been represented
to him.

Sam White would not go into the same class with Pete Johnson because
Pete's father got drunk and was "had up" for fighting. Susan Jones would
not sit beside Ann Bates because Ann's mother "hired out." Jem Ellis,
who was a big boy that did not know his ABC's, insisted on being put at
the head of the highest class because he was the tallest pupil in the
school. And Sarah Brown refused to go into any class at all, because her
father was the overseer of the estate, and she felt herself above them
all!

These objections and claims were all put forth with loud voices and rude
gestures.

But Ishmael, though shocked, was not discouraged. "In patience he
possessed his soul" that day. And after a while he succeeded in calming
all these turbulent spirits and reducing his little kingdom to order.

It was a very harassing day, however, and after he had dismissed his
school and walked home, and given Reuben Gray his lesson, and posted the
account-book, and read a portion of his "Coke," he retired to bed,
thoroughly wearied in mind and body and keenly appreciative of the
privilege of rest. From this day forth Ishmael worked harder and
suffered more privations than, perhaps, he had ever done at any former
period of his life.

He rose every morning at four o'clock, before any of the family were
stirring; dressed himself neatly, read a portion of the Holy Scriptures
by candle-light, said his praye