on business. As she could not find me, my father knew I had not been
to school that day. I went home for lunch about the time school
dismissed. When I got home, the first question my father asked was,
"School dismissed?" I answered, "Yes sir." He then said, "How did you
get along with your lesson?" I answered, "First class." "And who was
the first one in the class to-day?" I answered, "I am, sir." Then I
noticed his voice seemed to have an angry tone, and he said, "Are you
sure you have been to school?" I answered, "Of course I did, do you
think I am a liar?" I got terribly whipped this time, and when I went
to school in the afternoon, I also got a whipping from the teacher. I
did not have any more chance for running away from school this year,
for I was too closely watched. The children of China, you see, have no
pleasant time as you American boys and girls.

The high schools are quite different from the primary. The students
have to lodge and board in the school-house. We get up in the morning
before daybreak to study; the teacher and all the students go to the
explanation hall for our lesson. The teacher explains the meaning of
the lesson, and in the afternoon we are expected to recite and give
the explanation as given by the teacher. This is the hardest work of
the whole day. Our evening lesson is studying essays and poems by
Chinese Princes. About eleven o'clock school closes, and in a very few
minutes I am sure you will find no one awake. In winter time we manage
to get about six hours for sleep, but in summer only about four. We
generally {pg 215} sleep a little while at the noon recess. It would
not be surprising if when the teacher could not see us, we try to take
a little nap in our seat. Each boy has a table to himself. None of the
scholars sit erect as your American custom. Every boy leans his head
upon his hands, so that he can manage to take a little sleep when the
teacher is not looking.