"Ninety-five millions of miles, you ignoramus!"
James did not retort; but repeating over in his mind the distance named, fixed it indelibly upon his memory.
On the same evening, after he had finished his day's work, he obtained a small text-book on astronomy, which belonged to Harman Lee, and went up into his garret; and there alone, seated by a fagot-fed fire, he attempted to dive into the mysteries of that sublime science. As he read, the earnestness of his attention fixed nearly every fact upon his mind. So intent was he, that he perceived not the passage of time, and was only called back to a consciousness of where he was by the sudden sinking of the wick of his candle into the melted mass of tallow that had filled the cup of his candlestick. In another moment he was in total darkness. The cry of the watchman told him that the hours had flown until it was past eleven o'clock.
SEEKING KNOWLEDGE.
Slowly undressing himself in his dark chamber, his mind recurring with a strong interest to what he had been reading, he laid himself down upon his hard bed, and gave full play to his thoughts. Hour after hour passed away, but he could not sleep, so absorbed was he in reviewing the new and wonderful things he had read. At last wearied nature gave way, and he fell off in a slumber, filled with dreams of planets, moons, comets, and fixed stars. On the next morning the apprentice boy resumed his place at the work-bench with a new feeling; and with this feeling was mingled one of regret that he could not go to school as did his master's son.
"But I can study at night while he is asleep," he said to himself.
Just then Harman Lee came into the shop, and approaching James, said, for the purpose of teasing him,—
"How big round is the earth, Jim?"
"Twenty-five thousand miles," was the prompt answer.