There was a day-book kept in the shop, in which the overseer usually charged the smithwork we did for the neighbours.

I have spent entire Sabbaths looking over the pages of that book; knowing the names of persons to whom certain pieces of work were charged, together with their prices, I strove anxiously to learn to write in this way.

I got paper, and picked up feathers about the yard, and made ink of -- -- berries.

My quills being too soft, and my skill in making a pen so poor, that I undertook some years ago to make a steel pen.[A] In this way I have learnt to make a few of the letters, but I cannot write my own name, nor do I know the letters of the alphabet." [Footnote A: This attempt was as early as 1822.] _W.W., (handing a slate and pencil.)_--"Let me see how thee makes letters; try such as thou hast been able to make easily." A.B.C.L.G.
_P.W., (wife of W.W.)_--"Why, those are better than I can make." _W.W._--"Oh, we can soon get thee in the way, James." Arithmetic and astronomy became my favourite studies.

W.W.was an accomplished scholar; he had been a teacher for some years, and was cultivating a small farm on account of ill-health, which had compelled him to leave teaching.