Vermont watchman and State journal. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1836-1883, 1855-01-12

ana toplled, Yes, I'm the man.
Whereupon the stranger asked,
+" Don't you want boy to learn the
trade Z"
Well" said Mr.. Bliss, Eve have
been thinking Of il DO you want
to learn TO print I"
"l've had some notion of il, >" said
the boy in true Yankee fashion, MS
though lie had not been dreaming
about il, and longing for il for years.
Mr.. Bliss was both asionished and
I puzzled-asionished that such a
fellow as the boy looked to be should
ever have thought of learning to print,
and puzzled how to convey to him
an idea of the absurdity of the no.
ton. So, with an expression in his
countenance, such as that of a tender
hearted dry goods merchant might be
supposed To assume if hodcarrier
should apply for place in the lace
department, he said, Well, my boy,
but you know, it takes considerable
learning TO bea printer. Have you
been 10 school much Z"
No." said the BOY, " havn't
had much chance at school. I've
read some"
What have you read I" asked
Mr.. Bliss.
Well, Eve read some history,
and some travels, and little Of most
everything"
Where do you live :"
At Westhaven.
" How did You come over y
9 came on foot"
" What's your name ~
Horace Greeley"
Now ii happened that Mr.. Amos
Bliss had been for the last three
years an Inspector of Common
Schools, and in fulfilling the duties OF
his Understanding and licensing
leachers---he had acquired an un-
common facility in asking questions,
and fondness for that exercise
which men generally entertain for
any employment in which they sup
pose themselves 10 excel. The youth
before him was--in the language of
medical Students " fresh subject"
and the Inspector proceeded TO try
faIl his skill upon him, advancing
from easy questions to hard ones, up
To these knotty problems with which
he had been wont " To stump" can
didales for the office Of teacher
The boy was match for him. He
answered every question promptly,
clearly and modesily. He could not
bc slnnped'' IN the ordinary school
studies, and Of the books he had read
he could give complete and correct
uual, SIS. III Nj. Bi,ss's own account
Of the interview, he says, son en-
tcring into conversation, aud partial
examination of the qualifications of
my new applicant, II required but
little lime TO discover that he posses
sed a mind of no common order, and
an acquired intelligence Car beyond
his years. He had had but little op
poTtunIty at The common school, but
he said he had read some, and
what he had read he well understood
and remembered. la addition 10 the
ripe intelligence manifested in one
20 young, and whose instruction had
been so limited, there was single
mindcdness, "A truthfulness and con-
mon sense in what he said, that at
once commanded my regard"
After half an hours conversation
with the boy, Mr.. Bliss inlimaicd
that he though, he would do, and
toll him 10 go into the printing office
and talk with the foreman. Horace
went 10 the prinIIng-oiiice, and there
his appearance produced an effect
on the tender minds of the three ap-
preni!ces who were at work there,
which can be much better imagined
Than described, and which is most
vivIdly remembered by the two who
survive. TO tho foreman Horace
addressed himself, regardless certain
ly, Obvious probably, Of the stare
and the remarks of the boys. The
foreman, at first, was inclined TO
wonder that Mr.. Bliss should, for
one moment, think it possible that
boy go, up Ia that sly could perform
the most ordinary duties OF n print
er's apprentice. Ten minutes talk
with hm, however, effected a partial
revolution in his mind in the boys
favor, aud as he was greatly in want
OF another apprentice, he was not
tore of slip of prooi-paper, wrote
few lines upon it hastily with a
pencil, and told the boy TO take it to
Mr.. Bliss. That piece Of paper was
his fate. The words were Guess
ace had better try him" Away wen,
Horace TO the garden, and presented
his paper. Mr.. Bliss, whose curios.
ny had been excited 10 a high pitch
by the extraordinary contrast be-
tween the appearance of The boy
and his real quality, now entered
into u long conversation will him,
questioned him respecting his his
tory, his past employments, his par
ents, their circumstances, his own
intentions and wishes and the long
er he talked, the more his admIra-
ton grew. The resul, was, that he
agreed 10 accept Horace as an APP
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 lab tn liz homo in tNaatkayan