Contents

I. A BOYHOOD IN SCOTLAND

Earliest Recollections — The “Dandy Doctor” Terror — Deeds of Daring — The Savagery of Boys — School and Fighting — Birds'-nesting.

II. A NEW WORLD

Stories of America — Glorious News — Crossing the Atlantic — The New Home — A Baptism in Nature — New Birds — The Adventures of Watch — Scotch Correction — Marauding Indians.

III. LIFE ON A WISCONSIN FARM

Humanity in Oxen — Jack, the Pony — Learning to Ride — Nob and Nell — Snakes — Mosquitoes and their Kin— Fish and Fishing — Considering the Lilies — Learning to Swim — A Narrow Escape from Drowning and a Victory —Accidents to Animals.

IV. A PARADISE OF BIRDS

Bird Favorites — The Prairie Chickens — Water-Fowl — A Loon on the Defensive — Passenger Pigeons.

V. YOUNG HUNTERS

American Head-Hunters — Deer— A Resurrected Woodpecker — Muskrats — Foxes and Badgers — A Pet Coon — Bathing — Squirrels — Gophers — A Burglarious Shrike.

VI. THE PLOUGHBOY

The Crops — Doing Chores — The Sights and Sounds of Winter — Road-making — The Spirit-rapping Craze—Tuberculosis among the Settlers — A Cruel Brother — The Rights of the Indians — Put to the Plough at the Age of Twelve — In the Harvest-Field — Over-Industry among the Settlers —Running the Breaking-Plough — Digging a Well — Choke-Damp — Lining Bees.

VII. KNOWLEDGE AND INVENTIONS

Hungry for Knowledge — Borrowing Books — Paternal Opposition — Snatched Moments — Early Rising proves a Way out of Difficulties — The Cellar Workshop — Inventions — An Early-Rising Machine—Novel Clocks — Hygrometers, etc. — A Neighbor's Advice.

VIII. THE WORLD AND THE UNIVERSITY

Leaving Home — Creating a Sensation in Pardeeville — A Ride on a Locomotive — At the State Fair in Madison — Employment in a Machine-Shop at Prairie du Chien — Back to Madison — Entering the University — Teaching School — First Lesson in Botany — More            Inventions — The University of the Wilderness