Jeffersonian Republican. [volume] (Stroudsburg, Pa.) 1840-1853, 1851-08-21
A "Reminiscences.

"Nortkern Spectator" weekly newspaper,
in the village of East Poultney, Vermont,
was one morning engaged in my garden,
when there came to me STRIPPING of about
fourteen years of age, and enquired if l was
the man who carried on the printing Office !
| answered that was. He asked me if
wanted to take boy as an apprentice :! |
told him | had thought of it, and asked him
if he wished to become printer He said
he had some notion of learning the printing
business. He had come some ten miles on
foot that morning from an humble home in
the vicinity of West Haven, to make this ap-
plication. had not at first paid much at
tention to his address-and now turning to
the young stranger, | saw standing before
me light slender form, dressed in the plain
farmers cloth of the day, and with negiige,
not in accordance with the fastidious taste of
Beau Nash or Brommel His hair, of light
hue, shading upon the orange, lay thinly up
on his broad forehead, and over head rock
ing on shoulders apparently too slender to
support the weight of member so dspropor
toned to his general outline. On entering
into conversation, and partial examination
of the qualifications of my new applicant, it
required but little time to discover that he
possessed a mind of no common order, and an
acquired intelligence far beyond his years.
He had had but little opportunity at the COM
mon school, but he said " he had read some,"
and what he had read he well understood
and remembered.
In addition to the ripe intelligence mani
tested in one so young, and whose instruction
had been so limited, there was single-mind-
edness, truthfulness and common sense in
what he said, that at once commanded my
regard. After conversing with him awhile,
told him to 60 to the Office and talk with
the foreman He did so, and soon returned
with line from the foreman, saying he thought
we had better try the lad. He soon entered
the Office, after having bound himself an ap-
prentice for four years.
On his first entering the Office, there was
quite a sensation among the older apprentices
and journeymen. They thought they had
caught green one, and resolved on treat
of fun. But the new conner paid no atten-
ton to what was passing. He took his copy
and composing-stick from the foreman and
stood up to the desk of types, intent on
thought, and all the world a blank" He
had not stood there many days before his Of
fee companions appeared somewhat to doubt,
and the more tame ones began to sniff lit
tie of the young lion. But they could not
entirely forego the anticipated pleasure of
initiating their new friend, SO, as his hair was
of lighter hue than they thought became
the trade of ink and types, they applied the
I" black balls" until they thought the impress
sion would come off intelligibly. This was
done while he stood at the desk of types but
none of these things moved him, nor did he
lose single {" EN-" by the operation.
About this time the late Rev. L. J. Reyn-
olds, sound, well-read theologian, and a
practical printer, was employed to edit and
conduct the paper. This opened desirable
school for intellectual culture to our young
debutGnt. Debates ensued-historical, polit-
ical and religious questions were discussed,
and often while all hands were engaged at
the font of types; and here, the purpose for
which our friend 'had read some," was made
manifest Such was the correctness Of his
memory in what he had read, in both biblical
and profane history, that the Rev. Mr.. r was
often put at fault by his corrections. He al
ways quoted chapter and verse to prove the
point in dispute. On one occasion, the Rev.
Mr.. r. said that money was the root of all e.
vii, when he was corrected by the "devil,"
who said he believed it read in the Bible that
the love of money was the root of all evil
A small town library gave him access to
books, by which, together with the reading
of the exchange papers of the Office he i'm.
proved all his leisure hours. He became
frequent talker in our village lyceum, and Of
ten wrote dissertations.
In the first organization of our village tenn
perance society, the question arose as to the
age when the young might become members.
Fearing lest his own age might bar him, he
moved that they be received when they were
old enogh to drink-which was adopted mem.
con.
Though modest and retiring, he was often
led into political discussions with our ablest
politicians, and few would leave the field
without feeling instructed by the soundness
of his views, and the unerring correctness of
his statements of political events.
Having thirst for knowledge, he bent his
mind and all his energies to its acquisition
with unceasinp application and untiring de-