still, of course he did not; but he was natural and happy, and his eyes fulfilled their function in roaming about more or less, and his ears heard what was going on in the school-house. The teacher could not make a blind and deaf boy of him, any way, and so he ceased to try. He allowed him to see and hear for himself; and it just filled the lad with happiness. It fired his ambition, and brought out his brilliant parts, so that he became the star of the school.

It was quite a number of days before Mrs. Garfield saw the teacher again, as he went to board with another family. Then he called to cheer the mother, whom he had so thoroughly grieved. Her first question was, as he entered her house:

“How does James do now?”

“Oh, grandly,” the teacher replied, in a tone that indicated great satisfaction in being able to speak so approvingly.

“I am so glad!” was the mother’s only response; and her heart was healed.

“He is perpetual motion in school,” continued the teacher, “but he learns; no scholar learns so fast as he.”

“Then you have given up your rule?” Mrs. Garfield remarked, inquiringly.

“Yes; I think you are right about him. Such a rule cramps him; he can’t be himself under it. I guess he tried hard to obey it.”

“Children are very unlike,” continued Mrs. Garfield. “James is unlike my other children in his restlessness and energy, as well as in his precociousness. I hope that he will come out all right.”

“Come out all right!” responded the teacher. “My word for it, he will make his mark in the world; you can depend on that.”

“I hope so;” and Mrs. Garfield put her whole mother’s heart into those last three words.

The restive nature of James was a theme of remark frequently. Thomas sometimes complained of it. He lodged with James, and the latter would toss and tumble about, often awaking Thomas by his movements, kicking off the clothes, and thereby putting himself and brother to considerable inconvenience. Often he would turn over, and feeling cold after having kicked off the bed-clothes, he would say in his sleep:

“Tom, cover me up.”

Thomas would pull the clothing over him, and lie down to his dreams, but only to repeat the operation again and again. It was said of James, twenty-five years after that time, when he had become a General, that one night, after a terrible battle, he laid down with other officers to sleep, and in his restlessness he kicked off his covering; then, turning partly over, he said:

“Tom, cover me up.”

An officer pulled the blanket over him, and awoke him by the act. On being told of his request in his sleep, James thought of his good brother Thomas and of the little log-house in the woods of Ohio; and he turned over and wept, as he did in childhood, when the teacher concluded that he could not make a General of him.

At the beginning of the school the teacher had said:

“At the close of the term I shall present this Testament (holding up a pretty Testament of rather diminutive size) to the best scholar—best in study, behaviour, and all that makes a good scholar.”