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[[underline]] 1856 [[/underline]]
of tall and short people to settle both North & South.  Supposing the climate of the North more favorable to the tall than the short the latter would in time die out leaving a race of comparative giants.  Supposing on the contrary the climate of the South more suited to the short of stature these would live & the tall disappear leaving a race of dwarf such as [[Bosfurman?]]

26. Friday.  It has been raining fast all day but in spite of the inclemency we went to Arlington & Alexandria.  The lawn not far from the house at Arlington has been converted into a cemetary and as far as we could see the white headboards stretched away in regular succession neat walk had been made   It was peaceful quiet place to rest in.

At night Father gave us one little incident of his boy hood which interested us.  He said [[end page]]

[[start page]]  1865
that a certain man in the village where he lived with his grandmother, It was a shoemaker I believe, annoyed him greatly by passing his hand roughly over his face bending up his nose in the process & causing him considerable pain.  He was a slight delicate boy but determined to discover some means of self defence.  He at length hit upon the following expediant his first [[strikethrough]] [[fir?]] [[/strikethrough]] experiment as he says in practical mechanics.  At the approach of his tormentor he threw himself upon the ground and as the man stooped over him to seize him he [[strikethrough]] threw [[/strikethrough]] caught hold of ancles and placing his feet in his stomach with one dexterous kick sent him over backwards.  He tried the same experiment ^several times upon some young men who were in the habit of teasing him with the same success and greatly to the amusement and admiration of
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