The boy absorbed the spirit of these proverbial sayings. They were to his liking and bent of mind. But there came into his young face a shadow.
"Uncle Ben, I know what you say is true. I have listened to you; now I would like you to hear me. You saw the boys going to the Latin School this morning?"
"Yes, Ben."
"I can not go there."
"O Ben! that is hard," said Jenny, who was by his side.
"But you can go to school, Ben," said Uncle Benjamin.
"Where, uncle?"
"To life—and graduate there as well as any of them."
"I would like to study Latin."
"Well, what is to hinder you, Ben? One only needs to learn the alphabet to learn all that can be known through books. You know that now."