The Bobbin Boy; or, How Nat Got His learning

AUTHOR OF THE POOR BOY AND MERCHANT PRINCE, THE POOR GIRL AND TRUE WOMAN, FROM POOR-HOUSE TO PULPIT, TALES FROM THE BIBLE, ETC., ETC. BOSTON: J. E. TILTON AND COMPANY. 1862. Entered according to Act of Congress; in the year 1860, by J. E. TILTON AND COMPANY, In the Clerk's Office of the District Court for the District of Massachusetts. University Press, Cambridge: Printed by Welch, Bigelow, and Company.
PREFACE. The design of this volume is to show the young how odd moments and small opportunities may be used in the acquisition of knowledge. The hero of the tale—Nat—is a living character, whose actual boyhood and youth are here delineated—an unusual example of energy, industry, perseverance, application, and enthusiasm in prosecuting a life purpose. The conclusion of the story will convince the reader, that the group of characters which surround Nat are not creations of the fancy, and that each is the bearer of one or more important lessons to the young. While some of them forcibly illustrate the consequences of idleness, disobedience, tippling, and kindred vices, in youth, others are bright examples of the manly virtues, that always command respect, and achieve success. W. M. T.

A little patch of ground enclosed by a fence, a few adjacent trees, Nat with his hoe in hand, his father giving directions, on one of the brightest May mornings that was ever greeted by the carol of birds, are the scenes that open to our view.
There, Nat, if you plant and hoe your squashes with care, you will raise a nice parcel of them on this piece of ground. It is good soil for squashes.
How many seeds shall I put into a hill? inquired Nat.
Seven or eight. It is well to put in enough, as some of them may not come up, and when they get to growing well, pull up all but four in a hill. You must not have your hills too near together,—they should be five feet apart, and then the vines will cover the ground all over. I should think there would be room for fifty hills on this patch of ground.