When Ishmael was about four years old he began to take pleasure in the
quaint pictures of the old family Bible, that I have mentioned as the
only book and sole literary possession of Hannah Worth. A rare old copy
it was, bearing the date of London, 1720, and containing the strangest
of all old old-fashioned engravings. But to the keenly appreciating mind
of the child these pictures were a gallery of art. And on Sunday
afternoons, when Hannah had leisure to exhibit them, Ishmael never
wearied of standing by her side, and gazing at the illustrations of
"Cain and Abel," "Joseph Sold by his Brethren," "Moses in the
Bulrushes," "Samuel Called by the Lord," "John the Baptist and the
Infant Jesus," "Christ and the Doctors in the Temple," and so forth.
"Read me about it," he would say of each picture.
And Hannah would have to read these beautiful Bible stories. One day,
when he was about five years old, he astonished his aunt by saying: "And now I want to read about them for myself!"
But Hannah found no leisure to teach him. And besides she thought it
would be time enough some years to come for Ishmael to learn to read. So
thought not our boy, however, as a few days proved.
One night Hannah had taken home a dress to one of the plantation
negroes, who were now her only customers, and it was late when she
returned to the hut. When she opened the door a strange sight met her
eyes. The Professor of Odd Jobs occupied the seat of honor in the arm
chair in the chimney corner. On his knees lay the open Bible; while by
his side stood little Ishmael, holding an end of candle in his hand, and
diligently conning the large letters on the title page. The little
fellow looked up with his face full of triumph, exclaiming: "Oh, aunty, I know all the letters on this page now! And the professor
is going to teach me to read! And I am going to help him gather his
herbs and roots every day to pay him for his trouble!"
The professor looked up and smiled apologetically, saying: "I just happened in, Miss Hannah, to see if there was anything wanting
to be done, and I found this boy lying on the floor with the Bible open
before him trying to puzzle out the letters for himself. And as soon as
he saw me he up and struck a bargain with me to teach him to read. And
I'll tell you what, Miss Hannah, he's going to make a man one of these
days! You know I've been a colored schoolmaster, among my other
professions, and I tell you I never came across such a quick little
fellow as he is, bless his big head! There now, my little man, that's
learning enough for one sitting. And besides the candle is going out,"
concluded the professor, as he arose and closed the book and departed.