Southport telegraph. [volume] (Southport, W.T. [i.e. Kenosha, Wis.]) 1840-1850, 1846-05-05
THE WONDERFUL VERMONT BOY.

Being a few days since in the vicinity
OF Royalton, VI, on business connected
with my Bible agency, was induced by
the Ieporsl bad often seen in the public
prints Of remarkable boy of that towG
10 pay him visit. The name of this
youth is Truman Henry Stafford Jr He
is the son of Truman Henry and Lou
lisa Stafford, OF Royalton, VI He was born
the sixth day Of January 1886. He was
consequently ten years old las. THURSDAY,
the: sixth day Of January, laA6 His
constitution is frail, his health, though
most robust than year since, is Jet deli.
dark, projecting and indescrihabiy brilliant,
and his countensnce pallid, yet open, smi
ling and beamimg with intelligence. He
is exceedingly modest and unassumng. He
never boasts, never shows the least pride
after performing his wonderful intelligence
exploits. But be is retiring in his man
ers, though free 10 converse when spoken
10, and in disposition os gentle as lamb.
lie probably realizes his greatness. lie
reads every thing that comes in his way;
consequently. he often sees The various puts
Of him that are frequently seen lcaliugin
the papers lie is also often complimanled
by distinguished visitors But bis parents tell
him no, 10 believe all these euco,nums
as there is often a great deal OF humbug in
The world. This has The effect TO make him
quite unmladfu! of piaise. His wonderful
powers Of mind began TO be developed when
very young. Athe age of 20 months he !s-
armed his letters. Before three years old,
he would recon time upon a clock almost
n,utivey.
lie also learned TO enumerale according
10 the Roman method from Webster's
spelling book. He commenced going TO
school when three years old; but this he
did not like. HIS mode Of study was per-
'ectly unique. He did not pursue the
common, oircuitous route to the results Of
-. ,dy. Since then he has been very lit
re y, i now goes none at all Probably
no college in The United States could IN
st.nc, nm mn, III. ii any When he first
bepao 10 90 o SCHOOL. his teachers could
moi comprehend his ways, nor lnstruct his
infant mind. Every branch Of study he
could master alone With rapifl;yand ease.
He commenced Adams new Arihmetic
p, Tuesday morning and finished II com
nleteIv 60 Friday night And when he
finishes a book it is done perfectly. He
would moi fully set down his sums. but
cover his slate VIII showe: OF figures,
and at once bring out The answer ne
teacher would look on in astonIshme"' UNI
allie TO keep up will, him, or TO comprs-
bend his operations carried on in his mind
with the rapidity of lightning, and then
dashed on 10 The slate, 10 matter which
end first. His thirst for all kinds ofknowl
edge is very great. The whole circle Of
The sciences is as familiar to him as
household work His father obtained for
him Gregory's Dictionary Of the Arts and
Sciences, in three large volumes. This
work. You know, is vast encyclopedia OF
knowledge. treating briefly upon all
branches Of human knowledge. This was
iasl the work he waited; for an outline OF
nything is enough-he can make the rest
1t was his book that first gave him a taste
for the higher mathematics. Here he
found the definition of a logarithm, and
from this alone he went on ard made al
seeing one.
One day lie went to his father and told
him he wanted TO calculate the eclipse and
make an Almanac! lie said he wanted
some books and instruments. His father
t7;ed 10 put him off; but the boy followed
him into the fields and wijhersoever he
went, begg ng for books and instruments
with most affecting importantly. Finally
his father promised to accompany him to
Dartmouth College, and obtain for him il
possible, what he wanted. At This, the
boy was quite overioyed; so much so, that
when they hove in sight of he College, he
lied out in raptures, so, there is the
College! there are the books! there are
the insiruments!n But they did not find
all they wanted. AT Norwich, however,
they made up their compliment. On com
ing home, the boy took Gummere's AS
ironomy, opened it in the middle, rolling
it to and fro, and dashing it through is
dry and tedious formulas, went on, at both
ends. By the way, this is his usual mode
Of study. He does not begin book at the
beginning, bui always in the middle, and
then goes with rush both ways. asked
him ii. swhen he opened Gummere's As
ironumy in the m dde # he could compre-
bend those complicated formulas which
| depended on previous demonstrations. -
! lie replied. b. could generally, bat some
tunes lie ''looked back little" On ar
irving home, be projected several eclipses
and also calculated them through all their
tedious operations by figures. This, as
all mathematic ans know. involves a knowl-
edge of labvriEths OF m1ihema les. aud al.
1 50 Of formulas and processes most complI.
GATED and difficult. lie has recently made
an Almanac for A. ID. 154i Two edi
lions, the first of seven thousand copies,
and the second of seventeen thousand
awe already been Published aud nearly ell
"a d
II is bat just TO young Stafford TO say.
that he miscellaneous part OF he Almanac
so foolish and devoid oftaste, was prepared
/ by a young man employed by the publish
er of he work This is great pity. Ii
/ is 10 be hoped that such twaddle will not
be carried through third edition. Tha
contrast between the TIVE authors Is too
taNfal. In tie almanac are the calcula
#lIons Of two ec,!pses o. the sun. wgough
tout wholly by - infant aslhor, eesid 5 Q h.
Ier WI liable tables; especla3iv one showing