But, though nobody had told him of such an art, he may be said to have invented it for himself.

On a table near at hand there were pens and paper, and ink of two colors, black and red.
The boy seized a pen and sheet of paper, and, kneeling down beside the cradle, began to draw a likeness of the infant.

While he was busied in this manner he heard his mother's step approaching, and hastily tried to conceal the paper.
"Benjamin, my son, what hast thou been doing ?" inquired his mother, observing marks of confusion in his face.
At first Ben was unwilling to tell; for he felt as if there might be something wrong in stealing the baby's face and putting it upon a sheet of paper.

However, as his mother insisted, he finally put the sketch into her hand, and then hung his head, expecting to be well scolded.
But when the good lady saw what was on the paper, in lines of red and black ink, she uttered a scream of surprise and joy.
"Bless me!" cried she.

"It is a picture of little Sally!" And then she threw her arms round our friend Benjamin, and kissed him so tenderly that he never afterwards was afraid to show his performances to his mother.
As Ben grew older, he was observed to take vast delight in looking at the lines and forms of nature.