Worcester daily spy. [volume] (Worcester [Mass.]) 1850-1888, 1855-08-03
6bt AalIp Spp,
rRTDAY. AUGUST 3. 1855.


Death OF JAMES B. SINE
ma !, th;sscitv. August ID. very suddenly, |
~ LANES B. SYME, Reporter and Assistant Ed
nor Of the Spy, aged "a years anu months
". have never seen deeper feeling of sadness
,..r,feseed in the countenances of men, in conse-
ouence Of the loss of any private citizen than was
Manifested Yesterday through the community,
,-hsre he was SO widely and favorably known as the
II ;ntell;oence travelled from mouth to mouth,
tA.,ns 3. SyME was dead Hehal been absent |
k,r, h;s most but day or two, and his indisposi-
ton was apparently so slight that until within |
tev moments prior to his death, his situation was
not considered at all critical
Nh SYME was born in Edinburgh, Scotlano'
and his early life was full of painful vclssltuoes
and hardships n lille boy at school, ne one
aayiucurred the displeasure OF surly toll gate
keeuer, BY criticism upon his erof reading
.nsw.nauer. and the eowardly bully seized him by
che arms. and threw him with such force upon the
ground, as to injure his spine, and produce othtr
organic INJURIES from which he never fully recov-
a-ea For weeks and months he was unable TO
valk. and when at last he did get about, the
suriahtly. active child was transformed into
weak, delicate, detormed boy. His limbs re
fused to grow, his body became misshapen,
and all the skill Of the doctors could not
restore his physical condition to what it vas
But the stroke which blasted his bodily
strength, had no effect upon his mind, and 80
hi. Woodworking brothers and sisters saved
pittance from their scanty earnings to send ia
gaie to school," and to school he went. But the
ktory Of this portion Of his life is better given
n hin own wosds, BY letter to one Of our towns
men and, although it was never intended for pub
LEGATION, we cannot forbear to transcrIbe it here's
ED1SBUReH, 25th Aug, ls47.
Nv Dear Elihu BH.ritt-
almost wept 10 day, when l received your
kind, encouraging letter. The idea of being as
aoc,ated with you and Ezekiel in this great and
glorious work. made me tremble with pleasure
Il is something to work for the veal OF men with
the pen and tongue Ito stand up as the advocate
Of the hottest cause that ever mortal engaged in.
I feel NV heart swell with sense Of something
like pride, at the thought of being called to such
q work
Dear Elihu Burritt must let you know the
ordeal have passed through and how stand -
You know the circumstance that disabled me
from getting my bread by strong and healthtul
tell / am one Of the sons of labor; my very nu-
rnerous and very stalwarth kinsmeE were almost
all stout delivers Of the soil. They were OF labors
chivalsy. diligent, hopeful workers. They could
hardly lin a comfortable subsistence however,
by the most strenuous labor, while the lord of the
manor, he who owned our home and garden roll
ed by us every day in his wealth and splendor.-
We paid twelve pounds ten shllings per acre of
rent every year-no matter whether the fly de-
stYoyed our onions or the green worm our cabba-
Res or caulihowers, or the frost killed our fruit
buds-and to bear up against landlord-the con.
tingencies of the season, and our own essential
wants-all hands to work, was the word. l was
set to it when little over seven years of age.
was stout and active of my age, and could do
many things actively as an older person. /
had an uncle, strong, powerful man, who
was the handspring of our home--he suddenly
fell down and expired aged thirty eight-another,
from the wet and cold attendant upon winter
work IN a garden, lay sixteen weeks with rheuma-
tsm, and then he dropped away aged thirty eight
also--another, wearied with our position, went to
sea, and was stabbed by Portuguese, for what,
we never heard NY brother. young and full of
hope emigrated With my uncle to America, with
the determination of sending for US all In the
meantime, an uncle who had twelve children. and
my father, who had fifteen, took their aged pa
RENTS ca live with them L. WAS the eEeatestd geRd
witifiz-aafay necessities around mo--so many in
eentives TO Toll, was unable to do So No one
can ever know the agony felt when thought Of
what my fate would be- and when heard nv
mother talk about submission to Providence. and
that Was afflicted for Gods own good purpose, I
almost telt IRA lated TO think that she could con-
template her bghted boy SO tearfully, yet so qui-
ETY.. Oh, have seen otherwise now
went to school, and never was ssbooby 70
An, you do not know how proud was in that
little epltome of the great world | was some
thing there among the boys-at last | was told
that should make good schoolmaster. and as
schoolmasters were the greatest men in the world
IN my opinion. began my apprenticeship with
pride. But. dear Elihu Burritt, three and twenty
years Of age found me with blighted hopes. a
crushet heart, and four shillings sterling DER
Elk. never complained-never l did my
duty, and have Ger ifca'es that l cling to tena-
clously, to prove Sc; but could not get situa-
ton looked stupid. and weak, and Inactive
was detorned, sc. These things were all re-
peaied to me, and the spirit within me, which was
healthy and strong, rebeled against the injustice
- which was done 20 II on account of the tegument
which enclosed it,
left the school half in sorrow, half in disgust:
and then the question struck me, what can do
Poverty and the sickness of not hope deferred,
but blighied. blasted hope almost killed me-
became Ill, and wandered about without heart
An old friend, VINO had been nv COMPANION in
infancy, in boyhnod and in manhood lived by him.
SELF and ne and at last drew together He is
one Of the earth's noblest heroes Heis work
ing shoemaker who had to work for father and
mother, and four brothers and sisters Younger
than himself, irom his boyhood His father was
viewer; he fell i'll and could not labor from
,ss31wss as mother tried to support her children
~ washing and dressing, but damp home and
Toll destroyed her health, and all devolyed at last
upon my friend. He would have me with
him-"my last potatoe and salt I'll have with
you' man, said he smiling; "and while there
NC IOuttnueu, drawing out the
little drawer where his money lay among the shoe
nals 1T Is at youe service F" The merry raptap
OF his BANNER revived me; my heat became
sunsniny. through the influence Of his cheerful
more. r. S
wrote some Stories light essays, biographies
and poetry, and my friend took them to H
mad papitation at the heart all the time thew
were away. At last l receive an intimation "a
call at bis Office. My fears came back upon me
They shall see me and | am rejected once
more, said to myself ! crawled into the
once, and there stood three burly gentlemen-T
troubled and told my name. They looked al me
Tor while; said something little hatterino about
my papers-told me to write more, and pad me
two pounds for one. was almost beside myself
with JOY. did not know where to run first
my mother or my friend-nature or gratitude. =
Gratitude prevailed; might have been accused Of
oeing ftlse to him-to my mother never divided
the little sum- laid one upon my parents Ian and
crushed the other into that drawer among tbe
shoe-nalls. continue to draw little sums now
ana ag IN IN this way, but il was too precayions
70 give me peace of mind. felt strong again /.
could do something, began to think. AtIast
ne onered me perm anent employment | atonce
accepted u my wages are oss pound pcr ,oeek
read and correct pass or reject MS; toueh nm
poetry, aud mend prose, If | can. In addition 10
Snis, write two papers every week am or
Reeteo 70 DC witty, grave, philosophical poetical
uidatic, and itical, all in regular reyoIntion--
papers OF thee descriptions do dash off
,metimes with feeling Of PRIDE sometimes with
eieeilng OF pride, sometimes Of abasement. M
heart u in progress In the Advancement snd H..
Vaton OF my order. feel that rwas :, - f.-.s-,