The Caledonian. [volume] (St. Johnsbury, Vt.) 1837-1867, 1854-08-19
A PROMISING YOUNG MAN.
AN AUTOBIOGRAPHY.

From the knickcrLocker for Aucu>.1
Ihc following extraordinary history is said
10 have been found recently in the corner or
an old rlckety shed. near the steamboat-land
ing in the city of Buffalo A small pile Of
straw, a few herring bones and potato par
'ngs, indicating that some person had found a
nights lodging there, and a manuscript con-
ta'n'ns this history. were all that proclaimed
the occupant of the dcsolate premises. The
manuscript was ind>tnct, and difficult to de-
cipher, having evidently been written with a
very trembling hand. The writer's nervous
system must have been completely shattered
by intemperancc.
Twas left an orphan and poor. at a very
early age. but being esteemed boy Of Good
parts, the friends of my parents obtained for
me good school education. and was rcc.iv-
cd INTO college as a charity scholar. grad
ua'cd when was twenty, with a reputation
Tor decided 'smartness.' More democracy
prevails among student. in collcce than in
the world at large. Young men. generally
Ito not have the disposition or feel the ncrcs-
sty to crook the pregnant hinges of the knee
where thrift NAV follow tawninr and the I'M
rejecting generosity Of youth prompts stu
dents to do more than Justice. perhanS. tc
their poor companions. BE this as it NAV.
was a good deal battered in NV COLLEGE ca.
! rcrr, and was led to form too GREAT cxrccta
tons IN consequence. | was foolish enough
then to believe that wit was positive cnali.
tv. | attcrw.rd discovered that it was y,
such thing; that it was merely relative 1t
was necessary that certain other subordinate
qualities should accompany it. in order 10
have II highly priced Like diamond. its
hrl!ilancv was 40: i.crcc,;itIc unless il was
highly polished. and richly Sc, in gold.
The professors oi the colcr. were interest
ed IN nc. and offered to procure me a <iiua-
ton As teacher OF a school. with a salary of one
! THOUSAND dollars year. But my aspirations
were much too high for any <n,l, >;;u,,;on.
| determined to stud. law. an,i had every ex-
,,cctAtion 'Lat ! ...:.-'.. ''"~7rI., iUdnr n
''">'' by the time was twcnty-iivc. had
read of The high positions that many d;,,;,-
Sul>hed men had a.tain"l at am ,,,iv ,rr.
and saw no reason why mrh: not. The
professors. who very easily understood my
feelings, did not urge the matter. no loub,
thinking it best that the conccit should y,
taken out Of me in the natural way.
Well. studied law, went to Ph;laJ.l,h;a
hung ont my sign. ready TO commence prac-
tee. But my own experience taken in con
ncciioh with that of good many other vonno
lawyers. soon convinced me that waiting for
clients was very much like waiting for
The millennium. What often happens to
,"nn" lawyers. occurred TO me- Failing 10
obtain practice at that lar Win II r,;cni>!,r,
he pocket. strengthens the mii.I AID br;u-:
influence and honor. ! rrac'i>cl too much a,
that other bar which cml'ic~ the pochct>. ,!c-
>troys thc mind. body. reputation. and ALL |
became rchn"cd TO the most extreme poverty
and was oh'i"r,; TO seek some cnplo, n.clit. or
>tarvc. The question at once arose. What
was 1T for: had had no experience in
mercantile life. wrote miserable hand. and
was every way untitled for clerk liy d.
>lpafrd habits. which M; Whole appearance
TOO plainly proclaimed, were not calculatcd 20
throw any particular prcpo>>cS>ion in my it,
,or, with those OF whom soucl.. 4 situation.
II was very evident that must not hc over
NEE about the employment n."ht obtain.
There was llliard-room adjoining The
bar-room where much OF nv time and money
were spent. After long and unsuccessful
search for almost any thing to do. my small
supply Of money being entirely exhausted.
got temporary situation As hiliarti-narkcr
in this saloon. This was a highly responsible
and intellectual office, but no,with>tan,linc
the great amount of intellect required to
disc char@c the duties faithfully. it seemed
that | had not sufficient capacity for the
situation: ! could not conlinc my al,cn-
ton to the game. hut nv thoughts were con
>tant!y running Oft to something else. The
consequence was. | did not count correctly.
and was accused of partia!itv. di>honc>tv.ctr.
Fights cnSucd: and such state of ,hin"s
could not last. was discharged, and forced
to seek some rev employment. or starvc.
had long had misgivincs about possessing any
latent natural qualification as billiard mar
ker. and doubted if by long practice could
ever hope to attain to any particular prc-cm-
incncc IN the calling.
My efforts to procure employment again
were more unsuccessful than at first. | an
piled for the situation of clerk to LAWYER. but
on asccrtaining that the duties of Willard
marker had proved too intricate and burden
some for me. he facetously remarked that if
| found my former employment too metaphys-
zeal, he should distrust nv abilities for the
work he should require of me.
] at last obtained a situation in a stable:
slept there nights. and cleaned horses through
the day. Some skill in the management of
horses procured for me the charge OF superb
horse. An accident deprived me OF this del
icate and confidential trust On a certain
occasion, as was leading the noble anima!
from the stable, he broke awav from me.