From Canal Boy to President | Page 3

said Thomas, "Mr. Conrad wants to hire me to work on his
farm, and he is willing to pay me twelve dollars a month. May I go?"
"Ask Mr. Conrad to come in, Thomas."
The farmer entered, and repeated his request.
Mrs. Garfield, for this was the widow's name, was but little over thirty.
She had a strong, thoughtful face, and a firm mouth, that spoke a
decided character. She was just the woman to grapple with adversity,
and turning her unwearied hands to any work, to rear up her children in
the fear of the Lord, and provide for their necessities as well as
circumstances would admit.
She didn't like to spare Thomas, for much of his work would be thrown
upon her, but there was great lack of ready money and the twelve
dollars were a powerful temptation.
"I need Thomas at home," she said slowly, "but I need the money more.
He may go, if he likes."
"I will go," said Thomas promptly.

"How often can you let him come home?" was the next question.
"Every fortnight, on Saturday night. He shall bring his wages then."
This was satisfactory, and Thomas, not stopping to change his clothes,
for he had but one suit, went off with his employer.
His absence naturally increased his mother's work, and was felt as a
sore loss by Jimmy, who was in the habit of following him about, and
watching him when he was at work. Sometimes his brother gave the
little fellow a trifle to do, and Jimmy was always pleased to help, for he
was fond of work, and when he grew older and stronger he was himself
a sturdy and indefatigable worker in ways not dreamed of then.
The first fortnight was up, and Thomas was expected home. No one
was more anxious to see him than his little brother, and that was why
Jimmy had come out from his humble home, and was looking so
earnestly across the clearing.
At last he saw him, and ran as fast as short legs could carry him to meet
his brother.
"Oh, Tommy, how I've missed you!" he said.
"Have you, Jimmy?" asked Thomas, passing his arm around his little
brother's neck. "I have missed you too, and all the family. Are all
well?"
"Oh, yes."
"That is good."
As they neared the cabin Mrs. Garfield came out, and welcomed her
oldest boy home.
"We are all glad to see you, Thomas," she said. "How have you got
along?"
"Very well, mother."

"Was the work hard?"
"The hours were pretty long. I had to work fourteen hours a day."
"That is too long for a boy of your age to work," said his mother
anxiously.
"Oh, it hasn't hurt me, mother," said Thomas, laughing. "Besides, you
must remember I have been well paid. What do you say to that?"
He drew from his pocket twelve silver half-dollars, and laid them on
the table, a glittering heap.
"Is it all yours, Tommy?" asked his little brother wonderingly.
"No, it belongs to mother. I give it to her."
"Thank you, Thomas," said Mrs. Garfield, "but at least you ought to be
consulted about how it shall be spent. Is there anything you need for
yourself?"
"Oh, never mind me! I want Jimmy to have a pair of shoes."
Jimmy looked with interest at his little bare feet, and thought he would
like some shoes. In fact they would be his first, for thus far in life he
had been a barefooted boy.
"Jimmy shall have his shoes," said Mrs. Garfield; "when you see the
shoemaker ask him to come here as soon as he can make it convenient."
So, a few days later the shoemaker, who may possibly have had no
shop of his own, called at the log-cabin, measured Jimmy for a pair of
shoes, and made them on the spot, boarding out a part of his pay.
The first pair of shoes made an important epoch in Jimmy Garfield's
life, for it was decided that he could now go to school.
CHAPTER II.

GROWING IN WISDOM AND STATURE.
The school was in the village a mile and a half away. It was a long walk
for a little boy of four, but sometimes his sister Mehetabel, now thirteen
years old, carried him on her back. When in winter the snow lay deep
on the ground Jimmy's books were brought home, and he recited his
lessons to his mother.
This may be a good time to say something of the family whose name in
after years was to become a household word throughout the republic.
They had been long in the country. They were literally one of the first
families, for in 1636, only sixteen years after the Pilgrims landed on
Plymouth rock, and the