Ishmael received them, each and all, with that genial kindness which always won the hearts of all who knew him.

In arranging his school and classifying his pupils, Ishmael found the latter as ignorant, stubborn, and froward as they had been represented to him.

Sam White would not go into the same class with Pete Johnson because Pete’s father got drunk and was “had up” for fighting.  Susan Jones would not sit beside Ann Bates because Ann’s mother “hired out.”  Jem Ellis, who was a big boy that did not know his ABC’s, insisted on being put at the head of the highest class because he was the tallest pupil in the school.  And Sarah Brown refused to go into any class at all, because her father was the overseer of the estate, and she felt herself above them all!

These objections and claims were all put forth with loud voices and rude gestures.

But Ishmael, though shocked, was not discouraged.  “In patience he possessed his soul” that day.  And after a while he succeeded in calming all these turbulent spirits and reducing his little kingdom to order.

It was a very harassing day, however, and after he had dismissed his school and walked home, and given Reuben Gray his lesson, and posted the account-book, and read a portion of his “Coke,” he retired to bed, thoroughly wearied in mind and body and keenly appreciative of the privilege of rest.  From this day forth Ishmael worked harder and suffered more privations than, perhaps, he had ever done at any former period of his life.

He rose every morning at four o’clock, before any of the family were stirring; dressed himself neatly, read a portion of the Holy Scriptures by candle-light, said his prayers, ate a cold breakfast that had been laid out for him the night before, and set off to walk five miles to his schoolhouse.

He usually reached it at half-past six; opened and aired the room, and made the fire; and then sat down to read law until the arrival of the hour for the commencement of the studies.

He taught diligently until twelve o’clock; then he dismissed the pupils for two hours to go home and get their dinners; he ate the cold luncheon of bread and cheese or meat that he had brought with him; and set off to walk briskly the distance of a mile and a half to Shelton, where the court was in session, and where he spent an hour watching their proceedings and taking notes.  He got back to his school at two o’clock; called in his pupils for the afternoon session, and taught diligently until six o’clock in the afternoon, when he dismissed them for the day, shut up the schoolhouse, and set off to walk home.

He usually reached Woodside at about seven o’clock, where he found them waiting tea for him.  As this was the only meal Ishmael could take home, Hannah always took care that it should be a comfortable and abundant one.  After tea he would give Reuben his lesson in bookkeeping, post up the day’s accounts, and then retire to his room to study for an hour or two before going to bed.  This was the history of five days out of every week of Ishmael’s life.