am, who was not used to regular meals of any kind, it seemed luxurious. He despatched slice after slice of bread, eating twice as much as any one

hought it was ti

ne piece a're

said Sam; "bu

can be. You've eat

eal to fill me up,

e," said Mrs. Hopkins, in alarm. "You c

way, nor did his feelings appear to be hurt, for he was not sensitive; but he took th

a-goin?" asked

doo

ot something

mantel-piece and took t

t know nothin' about your moral and religious obligations

straight now

-I mean in a moral

gly drew nea

st page of the catechism, and reci

and looked at the f

it?" he demanded, in

e catechism?" exclaime

duties. It'll benefi

, perversely. "What do I care about

en, Martha?" said the deacon,

r took him," said Mrs. H

and l'arn your lesson,

. His eyes were not long fixed on the printed page. They moved about the room, following the movements of Mrs. Hopkins as she cleared off the table. He saw her

thought to himself.

iling himself of it. He dropped the catechism on the floor, seized his hat, and darted out of the room, finding his way out of the house through the front door. He heaved a sigh of relief

a house where he got such good suppers, but he wanted a couple of hours of freedom

' out a feller's eyes ove

ng. At nine o'clock he opened the front door, and went in, not

les on, and was engaged in reading a good

e have you be

woods," said

t your catechism?" deman

aid Sam, with

ns said she went out of the room a minute, and

uess so,"

u have time to l

long," mu

ill see if you know

his lap, and read out the first question,

ratched his head. "I

kin' conundrums?" sai

id Sam,

n't you

e I can

udy it. Aint you asham

he use of

e deacon, impressively. "Now I

and confessed th

lie. You said you

t unders

udied longer. Don't you

ll the time," said Sam, as if he

," said the deaco

am, regarding the ol

e rather than tell a lie. I have read of a man who was threatened wit

led?" asked Sam

es

said Sam, contemptuously. "You wouldn't

deacon, indignantly. "He laid

did it do

very benighted condition. You app

," said Sam. "I du

your catechism. I shall expect you to get the same l

said Sam, wi

leep. You must get up airly to go t

n the morning. However, he felt instinctively that it would do no good to argue the matter at present, and h

nting to a cot-bed in the corner. "I'll ca

himself, and

ome. If it warn't for that plaguey catechism, I'd like liv

tunate. He lay awake a long time, wondering in perplexity what he

of religion than a Choctaw or a Hottentot. An yet he's been livin' in a