I began to be deeply interested in "studying lessons," and was soon,after hard study, complete master of the alphabet. I could repeat itforwards and backwards, and could instantly tell the name of any letterpointed out to me. My mistresses seemed to take great pleasure inteaching me, and I always was somewhat anxious to learn. I soon found that I couldunderstand in a great measure the instructions the teacher gave to thedifferent scholars, by which I profited. I sat in the back part of thehouse, behind the scholars, with my youthful mistress' very aged book in my hand,and held it so that nobody could see it, and studied constantly dayafter day, which soon advanced me beyond some of the black childrenolder than myself in learning. I learned to spell and read; and myappetite for knowledge increasing, my youthful mistress set copies for me,and by the time the school-term was out I could spell, read, and write.