A PRESIDENT'S FIRST SHOES.
MRS. GARFIELD, the President's mother, was very poor, and had great difficulty to make both ends meet. She lived with her children in a log-cabin in the backwoods of America. In the spring of 1835 a family moved into the vicinity which proved of great benefit to the Garfields. They had sewing to be done, and Mrs. Garfield was glad of the opportunity to do it. A boy was also needed to plow and chop occasionally, and Thomas, the eldest son, found it a good opportunity to earn a little money for his mother. It was an era when Thomas brought home the first money that he earned. A happier boy never crossed the threshold than he was when he handed the proceeds of his labor to his mother, saying:— "Now, the shoemaker can come and make Jemmy a pair of shoes." "Certainly," answered the mother; "and he will be indebted to you for the first pair of shoes he ever wore. You'll never be sorry." "Jemmy ought to have had a pair a long time ago," replied Thomas, "and he would have had a pair if there had been any way for me to earn them." "Well, you can send word to the shoemaker as soon as you please," continued his mother; "the quicker the better." James was three and a half years old at the time, and the future President of the United States had not known the luxury of a pair of shoes—no, not even in winter. Then in that part of the country shoemakers did not have shops of their own, but they went from cabin to cabin, boarding with the families while they were making shoes for the members. In this case the cobbler boarded with Mrs. Garfield, and his board paid part of the cost of the shoes.—Selected.