My Schooling 



white flower, which wears a narrow red collar 

 at the throat of its funnel. 



When we go to beat the walnut-trees, the 

 barren grass-plots provide me with Locusts 

 spreading their wings, some into a blue fan, 

 others into a red. And thus the rustic school, 

 even in the heart of winter, furnished continu- 

 ous food for my interest in things. There 

 was no need for precept and example : my pas- 

 sion for animals and plants made progress of 

 itself. 



What did not make progress was my ac- 

 quaintance with my letters, greatly neglected in 

 favour of the pigeon. I was still at the same 

 stage, hopelessly behindhand with the untract- 

 able alphabet, when my father, by a chance In- 

 spiration, brought me home from the town 

 what was destined to give me a start along the 

 road of reading. Despite the not Insignificant 

 part which it played In my Intellectual awaken- 

 ing, the purchase was by no means a ruinous 

 one. It was a large print, price six farthings, 

 coloured and divided Into compartments In 

 which animals of all sorts taught the A.B.C. 

 by means of the first letters of their names. 



Where should I keep the precious picture? 

 As it happened, In the room set apart for the 

 children at home, there was a little window 

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