It was in the heart of my mother to make me physically clean, and to that end she sent me daily into the lake, so long as it was not ice covered, and put me at exercises intended to bring full strength to every sinew and fibre of my body.

It was in her heart to make me morally clean, so she took me to nature and drilled me in its forces and its methods of reproducing life according to the law.

Her work was good to a point that all men will recognize.

From there on, for a few years, she held me, not because I was man enough to stand, but because she was woman enough to support me.

Without her no doubt I would have broken the oath I took; with her I won the victory and reached years of manhood and self-control as she would have had me.