'The World and the University 



I had to cut down expenses for board now and 

 then to half a dollar a week. 



One winter I taught school ten miles north 

 of Madison, earning much-needed money at 

 the rate of twenty dollars a month, "boarding 

 roimd," and keeping up my University work 

 by studying at night. As I was not then well 

 enough off to own a watch, I used one of my 

 hickory clocks, not only for keeping time, but 

 for starting the school fire in the cold mornings, 

 and regulating class-times. I carried it out on 

 my shoulder to the old log schoolhouse, and 

 set it to work on a little shelf nailed to one of 

 the knotty, bulging logs. The winter was very 

 cold, and I had to go to the schoolhouse and 

 start the fire about eight o'clock to warm it 

 before the arrival of the scholars. This was a 

 rather trying job, and one that my clock might 

 easily be made to do. Therefore, after supper 

 one evening I told the head of the family with 

 whom I was boarding that if he would give me 

 a candle I would go back to the schoolhouse 

 and make arrangements for lighting the fire at 

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