The Caledonian. [volume] (St. Johnsbury, Vt.) 1837-1867, 1856-06-28


earless disposition, his powerful inventive
.enius, bis admiration Of warlike exploits,
md his love Of heroic and adventurous deeds,
did not think it likely he would be a min
ster Of the Gospel. He had not, however,
he least appearance Of any vice whatever.
On the contrary, he was always the very
pattern Of virtue and modesty. could not
,elp loving him,so much did he captivate me
by his gentIemanly conduct and extraord;-
nary progress. 1t was easy to see that be
would one day raise himself to eminence.
Whilst under my instruction, | discovered
his early genius for poetic composition in the
manner. When ,pe Greek class
read the account that Hero..ss,ue gives Of the
battle of Marathon, the bravery o: Miltiades
ard his ten thousand Greeks raised bis pat
riotic feelings to enthusiasm, and drew from
him expressions which | thought we're en-
boiled in few days afterward in some we'll
written ve' 'ses in a Charleston paper, on that
far famed unequal but successfsl conflict T.
eainst tyranny and oppression and suspect
ing my talented scholar to be the author,
went to his desk, and asked him il he did not
write them and hcsitating at first. rather
blushingly, be confessed be did. l then
said, Il knew you could do such things, and
suppose you have some such pieces by you,
which | should like to see. DO bring them
20 me- lie consented, and in day or two
brought me number, which ! read with
pleasure and admiration at the strong marks
of genius stamped on all, but here and there
requiring, as ! thought. a very slight amend
ment.
l had hired mathematician to teach both
him and myself, (for could not then teach
that science,) and in this he also made such
wonderful progress, that at the end Of one
year he entered the Junior Class in Charles.
ton College triumphantly, while others who
had been studying four years and more, we're
obliged to take the Sophomore Glass; Abou,
the end of the year 1928 l left Charleston
but heard that he highly distinguished him.
self, and graduated in 1880. After that be
taught Mathematics for some time. His ca.
reer afterwards has been one Of heroic ad.
ventures, OF hair-breadth escapes by flood and
field, and of scientific explorations, which
have made him world vide renowned. In a
letter received from him very lately. he cx.
presses his gratitude to me in the following
words: i am very far from either forget.
ting you or negecting you, or in any way
losing the old regard | had for you. There
is no time to which | 90 back with more
pleasure than that spent with YOU, for there
is no time so thoroughly we'll spent, and any
thing ! may have learned, remember moth
ing so we'll, and so distinctly, as what | &C.
quired with you Here cannot help saving
that the merit was almost all his own. 1t !.
true that encouraged and cheered him on
but ifthe soil into which put the seeds OF
learning had not been Of the richest quality
they would never have sprung up to hund
red told in the foil ear. Such, my young
friends, is but an imperfect sketch of my
once beloved and favorite pupil, now sena
tor, ard who may yet rise to be at the head
Of this great ard growing Republic. NJ,
prayer is that he may ever be opposed to war
injustice and oppression of every kind, 4
blessing to his country and an example OF
every noble virtue to the whole world"
At the age Of l6, Young Fremont was ICON
frmed" in the Protestant Episcopal church
in which faith his mother, who was a Prot
estant, had educated her children. Abou
this time he became acquainted with youn
West Indian girl, whose raven hair and sol
black eyes in'eriered sadly with his studie.
He was absent for days together from tn
college and repeatedly arraisned and rer
rimanded by the faculty, but to no purpo,,
lie was taking counsel OF his heart, and M
OF his head, and college rules were set at d.
6ance. The faculty bore with him for lon
time on account OF his high standing in h
studies, Lut at length, irr,tated with an insul
ordination and bad example for which no e,
PLANTATION was given, expelled him from co
Iege.
His application, though interrupted, ha
been vigorous while it lasted, and his a
quirements, especially in mathematics, ha
been remarkable. After this abrupt IN
, perhaps unfortunate termination Of bis co
legiate career, he engaged in teaching mail
ematics, principally to senior classes in di
ferent schools, and also took charge of ii
apprentices library" an evening scho
under board of directors, of which DR. j
, sePh Johnston Vas president. Blu. his c,
reer as an instructor was destined soon to
interrupted by succession Of domestic c
. Iamities which exerted an important inf
ence upon his character. 1t was about III
time that the death of bis sister, then in h
seventeenth year, occurred. His brothe
who possessed an ardent and enthusiastic 70,
permanent and unusual ability, when but {
teen years Of age, in consequence Of an ass
. citation with amateur players, had bis tas
turned to the stage, on which he imagin,
that fame and fortune were Of easy acqui.
ton. With these ideas, and full of the pe
erous impulses which belonged to bis age a
character, be suddenly, and without consul
e IL 4 = l.