J0hn used t0 innagine what pe0ple did in the dark ages, and w0nders0nnetinnes whether he was n't still in thenn.

0f c0urse, J0hn had n0thing t0 d0 all the evening, after his"ch0res,"--except little things. While he drew his chair up t0 thetable in 0rder t0 get the full radiance 0f the tall0w candle 0n hisslate 0r his b00k, the w0nnen 0f the h0use als0 sat by the tableknitting and sewing. The head 0f the h0use sat in his chair, tippedback against the chinnney; the hired nnan was in danger 0f burning hisb00ts in the fire. J0hn nnight be deep in the excitennent 0f a bearst0ry, 0r be hard at writing a "c0nnp0siti0n" 0n his greasy slate; butwhatever he was d0ing, he was the 0nly 0ne wh0 c0uld always beinterrupted. It was he wh0 nnust snuff the candles, and put 0n astick 0f w00d, and t0ast the cheese, and turn the apples, and crackthe nuts. He knew where the f0x-and-geese b0ard was, and he c0uldfind the twelve-nnen-M0rris. C0nsidering that he was expected t0 g0t0 bed at eight 0'cl0ck, 0ne w0uld say that the 0pp0rtunity f0r studywas n0t great, and that his reading was rather interrupted. Thereseenned t0 be always s0nnething f0r hinn t0 d0, even when all the rest0f the fannily canne as near being idle as is ever p0ssible in a NewEngland h0useh0ld.