The Jackson standard. [volume] (Jackson C.H., Ohio) 1847-1888, 1854-12-28


ties Of printers apprentice. Ten min
utes' talk with him, however, effected Q
partial revolution in his mind in the boys
favor, and as he was greatly in want ot
another apprentice, he was not inclined
to be over particular. lie tore off slip
Of proof paper, wrote few words upon
it hastily with pencil, and told the boy
to take it to Mr.. Bliss. That piece of pa
per was his fate. The words were
Guess we'd better try him Away went
Horace to the garden, and presented his
paper. Mr.. Bliss, whose curiosity had
been excited to high pitch by the extra
ordinary contrast between the appearance
of the boy and his real quality, now en-
tered into long conversation with him,
questioned him respecting his history, his
past employmentS, his parents, their cir
cumstances, his own intentions and wish
es and the longer he talked, the more
his admiration grew. The result was,
that he agreed to accept Horace as an ap-
prentice, provided his father would agree
to the usual terms and then, with eager
steps, and light heart, the happy boy
took the dusty road that led to his home
in Westhayen.
You're not going 10 hire that tow-head
Mr.. Bliss, are you ? asked one of the ap.
prcntices at the close of the day. 4 am,
was the reply, and if you boys are ex-
pecting to get any fun out Of him, you'd
better get it quick, or you'll be too late
There's something in that tow-head, rs
you'll find out before you're a week old
en-
A day or two alter Horace packed up
his wardrobe in small cotton handker.
chief. Small as ii was. it would have
held more; for its proprietor never had
more than two shirts, and one change OF
outer clothing, at the same time, ill he
was OF age. Father and son walked.
side by side, TO Poultney, the boy carry.
ing his possessions upon a stick over his
shoulder.
At Pou'tney, an unexpected difficulty
arose, which for time made Horace
trembe in his high.ow shoes. The terms
proposed by Mr.. Bliss were, that the boy
should be bound for five years, and re.
ceive his board and twenty dollars year.
Now MIR. Greeley had ideas Of his own on
the subject OF apprenticeship, and he OBJ
iecled to this proposal, and to every par
ticular of it. In the first place, he had
determined that no child Of his should
ever be bound at all. In the second place
he thought five years an unreasonable
time; thirdly, he considered that twenty
dollars a year and board was 1mpen.
sation ridiculouSly disproportionate to
the services which Horace would be re-
qured TO render; and finally, on each
and all OF these points, he clung 10 his
opinion with the tenacity of Greeley
Mr., Bliss appealed TO the established Gus
rom Of the country; five years was the u.s.
ual period; the compensation offered was
the regular thing; the binding Was point
essential to the employers interest. At
every pause in the conversation, the ap
pealing voice OF Horace was heard
Father, guess it won't make much dit.
ference;' OF, Don't you think you'd bet
ter do it, fatherP At one moment the
boy was reduced to despair. Mr.. Bliss
had given it as his utimalum that the
binding was absolutely Indispensable; he
could do business no other way well.
then Horace said the father, let Us 90
home.' The father turned to go; but
Horace fingered; he could not give it up;
and so the father turned again; the nego-
tialion was reopened, and after prolon
ged discussion, compromise was etlec'
ted What the terms were, that were f.
nally agreed to, cannot positively tell, for
three memoirs which | have consulted
upon the subject gave three different re
plies. Probably, however lney were not
binding, and no money for six months;
then the boy could, if he chose, bind
himself for the remainder Of the five
years, at forty dollars year, the appren-
lice 10 be boarded from the beginning
And 50 the father went home. and the son
went straight TO The printing office and
took his first lesson in the art Of setting
type.
A few months after il may be well to
mention here, Mr.. Greeley removed 10 f.
re county, Pennsylvania, and bought
some wild land there, from which he grad
ualIy created a farm, leaving Horace a.
lone in Vermont. Grass now grows on
he spot where the little house stood in
w eShaven, in which the family lived
longest, and the barn in which they stored
heir hay and kept their cattle, leans for.
ward like keeling elephant, and let's in
The daylight through ten thousand aPera
lures. But the neighbors point out the
tree that shaded the kitchen window, and
the tree that stood behind the house, aud
the tree whose apples Horace liked, and
the bed of mint with which he regaled his
nose. And both the people of Westha.
ven and Amherst assert that whenever The
Editor of the Tribune revisits the scenes
Of his early life, at the season when ap.
Piles are ripe, one thing that he is surest
to do, is to visit the apple trees that pro,
duce the fruit which he liked best when
he was a boy, and which he still prefers
before all the apples OF the world.
The new apprentice took his place at
the font, and received from the foreman
his copy composing stick, and few
words OF instruction, and then he address
sed himself to his task. He needed no
c,,,hor assistance. The mysteries OF