"Yes, child, yes; I know all that; but it was a hardship on me, and since his death the cultivation of the farm has given me no end of trouble. Oh, I like books well enough, but unless we can write them they don't make us a living." "But," said Potter, "they reduce a dreary and barren hour into a minute of ripe delight." The girl clapped her hands. "I thank you for so bright a defense," she exclaimed. "Oh, when you come ter talk erbout books," said Alf, "Mr. Potter he plum dar. Got er big luther-kivered book yere dat he read mighty nigh all de time." "The Bible I hope," Mrs. Forest remarked. "The Bible often, Mrs. Forest, but the book to which he refers is the Bible's wise, though sometimes sportive, child--Shakespeare." John re-entered the room. "There's comin' up a shower," said he, "an' I took the horse to the stable." "It is fortunate that we stopped, even though there are no women folks," Mrs. Forest replied. Eva turned to John. "This room has somewhat the appearance of a school," she said. "It is a school to me," John answered. "You are anxious to learn, I suppose." "Yes, so anxious that the time, it 'pears like, flies away befo' I l'arn anything." "Time will seem kinder after awhile, for then you will be more able to employ it. When you want books that are full of interest, come over to our house." Rain began to pour down. A frightened quail fluttered past the door. A baffled hawk screamed in anger. A rabbit ran into the yard and squatted under an old and tangled rose-bush. The rain ceased. The rabbit shook himself and ran away. The hawk screamed in anger. "It is time we were going, daughter," said Mrs. Forest when a stream of sunlight came through the window. "Will you please get our horse?" she added, addressing John. John bowed, rather awkwardly, perhaps, yet with not a bad show of courtesy, and hurried away to execute the commission. "Mrs. Forest," said Potter, "we do not live so far apart but that we might be more neighborly in the future." "Why, surely not," Mrs. Forest replied. "You will find everyone neighborly in this part of the country. Many of the people have nothing, you might say, except a neighborly disposition." When the visitors were gone, and when John had again taken up his book, Potter remarked: "Excellent people, I warrant you. What do you think of that young lady, John?" "I don't know, sir. She's so fur away frum me, it 'pears like that I can't think about her at all. Mr. Potter, do you think I'm learnin' how to talk any better than I did?" "Yes, and very rapidly, too; but the book which you are of necessity studying now, can only serve you in a preliminary way--I mean that what you are studying now, will prepare you for grammar, and grammar will lead you into the excellencies of speech."