"Then you must go to bed early, and send
them down by one of the boys. I will dam the
hole so that you will never know it. You won't
mind such trifles when you become President-."

It was a jocose remark, and the good lady little
dreamed thitt, in after years, the young man with
but one pair of pantaloons, and those more than
haK worn, would occupy the proud position she
referred to.
OHAPTETl X



A OOUSm's BEMINISCKNCEB.
During his school-life at Geauga Seminary
James enjoyed the companionship of a cousin,
Henry B. Boynton, who still lives on the farm
adjoining the one on which our hero wajs born.
The relationship between the two boys was much
closer than is common between cousins ; for while
their mothers were sisters, their fathers were half-
brothers. Henry was two years older than James,
and they were more like brothers than cousins.
I am sure my young readers will be glad to read
what Henry has to say of their joint school-life. I
quote from the account of an interview held with
a correspondent of the Boston Herald^ bearing
the date of September 23, 1881 :

When General Garfield was nominated to the

\ Presidency his old neighbors in Orange erected a

flag-stafE where the house stood which Garfield

and his brother erected for their mother and sis-

(87)



33 BOYHOOD AND MANHOOD OF

ters with their own hands, after the log hut, a
little farther out in the field nearer the wood, had
become unfit for habitation. Thomas Garfield,
the uncle of the President, who not long since
was killed by a rainuad acciuent, directed the
manual labor of rearing the shaft, and was proud
of his work.
