Holmes County farmer. [volume] (Millersburg, Ohio) 1857-1926, 1860-08-02
Douglas at Twenty---An Exam.
pie for Young Men.

pie for Young MIen.
In 1888 there came to this city young
man scarcely past his twentieth spring,
somewhat below the medium height in
stature, of delicate but comely frame,
pale but marked features. and in whose
eyes brilliant light of intellectual fire
burned brightly, and whose general bear
ing and manners, while they betoken
self-reliance and frmness, indicated too
clearly that he was one Of the numerous
young soldiers of fortune who were then
seeking in this great Western region to
lay the foundation of future fame and
glory, tor wealth and distinction.
Furnished with letters of recommends
tion, our young hero experienced little or
no difficulty in securing the confidence
and encouragement of one of our then, as
now, most distinguished lawyers and val
ued citizens, who rendered him the use of
his Office and library to pursue his studies
and manifested great interest in his sue
cess. This generosity, on the threshold
OF his career in then to him unknown
and unexplored country, filled his young
heart with hope and gratitude, and with
out hesitation he accepted the kind offer
and was duly installed in his new posi-
ton.
But as many other young law students
have experienced, while Blackstone and
Coke may furnish the brain, they fail to
supply the elmer man" or cover the out
er animal, and as in theirs so in the case
Of our hero; but fortunately for him he
had "a trade" and was not ashamed to
work, and straightway he resolved to
seek employment for his hands in those
houls which his studies permitted him to
be free thus pursuing the avocation of a
mechanic while preparing himself for the
law.
AS in after life so at that period, to de-
liberate was to act, and forthwith he pro-
ceeded to the workshops Of the principal
Cabinet Makers then in the city and made
known his object. His delicate looks and
feeble appearance, for he was then already
fast falling victim to the prevalent few
or Of the West, together with his state
ment that he was a law student and de-
sired to follow his trade temporarily to
provide him with necessary means to con-
tinue his studies, failed to inspire conf
dcnce and his application "for work" was
accordingly declined.
Nothing daun;ed, however, our hero
determined to try elsewhere, for food,
raiment and books must be had and the
wherewithal to purchase them. But ere
this resolve could be carried out he was
suddenly prostrated by a severe attack of
bilious fever and confined to his bed for
months.
When strength and health again came
to his aid he resolved to push his fortunes
further westward, and with grateful
his first entrance into the West, he de-
parted on a canal boat for the Queen City
continued. after brief ojourn there,
to Louisville-thence to St. Louis, and
finally settled in the Prairie State of Hi
nois, where since, from earning six dol
lars for the first three days of labor ac-
complishcd on entering the State, he has
continued to work, early and late, long
and faithfully, and has succeeded now in
earning a fame and acquiring q name
which will be remembered till time shall
be no more.
That young boy-lawycr was STEPHEN
A. DOUGLAS, the first kind friend in the
West Sherlock j. Andrews, and the cab
met making firm to whom he applied for
work was the old business house of Duty
& Vincient, now Gardner & Vincent.
We give this episode in the life of the
great Illinois Statesman for the purpose
of showing how galantly and braveJy
from his very boyhood he has struggled
in the race for fortune. Never too proud
to work, always ready to labor, believing
it alone can dignity and ennoble man, he
has always been "hard worker" always
upright and firm in the performance of
every trust contided to him, and therefore
it is his countrymen fear not to entrust
him with the highest Office in their gift
Cleveland Piaindealer.
.