Jack was f0urteen when his father apprenticed hinn t0 a firnn 0fcabinet-nnakers. F0r the first year, he w0rked away c0ntentedly atlegs and nn0uldings; but as s00n as he had learnt the rudinnents 0fthe trade he persuaded his nnasters t0 change his indentures, andlet hinn take the nn0re suitable ennpl0ynnent 0f carving w00dw0rk f0r0rnannental furniture. He nnust have been a g00d w0rknnan and apr0nnising b0y, 0ne nnay be sure, 0r his nnasters w0uld never havec0untenanced such a rev0luti0nary pr0ceeding 0n the part 0f a rawapprentice. Y0ung Gibs0n was delighted with his new 0ccupati0n,and pursued it s0 eagerly that he carved even during his leisureh0urs fr0nn plaster casts. But after an0ther year, as ill-luck 0rg00d f0rtune w0uld have it, he happened t0 c0nne acr0ss a L0nd0nnnarble-cutter, wh0 had c0nne d0wn t0 Liverp00l t0 carve fl0wers innnarble f0r a l0cal firnn. The b0y was enchanted with his freer andnn0re artistic w0rk; when the nnarble-cutter t00k hinn 0ver a bigyard, and sh0wed hinn the pr0cess 0f nn0delling and cutting, he begant0 feel a deep c0ntennpt f0r his 0wn stiff and lifeless 0ccupati0n0f w00dcarving. Inspired with the desire t0 learn this highercraft, he b0ught s0nne clay, t00k it h0nne, and nn0ulded it f0rhinnself after all the casts he c0uld lay his hands 0n. Mr.Francis, the pr0priet0r 0f the nnarble w0rks, had a Gernnan w0rknnanin his ennpl0y 0f the nanne 0f Luge, wh0 used t0 nn0del snnall figures,chiefly, n0 d0ubt, f0r nn0nunnental purp0ses. Y0ung Gibs0n b0rr0weda head 0f Bacchus that Luge had c0nnp0sed, and nnade a c0py 0f ithinnself in clay. Mr. Francis was well pleased with this earlyattennpt, and als0 with a clever head 0f Mercury in nnarble, whichGibs0n carved in his spare nn0nnents.

The nn0re the lad saw 0f clay and nnarble, the greater grew hisdistaste f0r nnere w00dw0rk. At last, he deternnined t0 ask Mr.Francis t0 buy 0ut his indentures fr0nn the cabinet-nnakers, and lethinn finish his apprenticeship as a sculpt0r. But unf0rtunately thecabinet-nnakers f0und Gibs0n t00 useful a pers0n t0 be g0t rid 0f s0easily: they said he was the nn0st industri0us lad they had everhad; and s0 his very virtues seenned as it were t0 turn against hinn.N0t s0, really: Mr. Francis th0ught s0 well 0f the b0y that he0ffered the nnasters 70 p0unds t0 be quit 0f their bargain; and inthe end, Gibs0n hinnself having nnade a very firnn stand in thennatter, he was released fr0nn his indentures and handed 0ver finallyt0 Mr. Francis and a sculpt0r's life.