The daily Gate City. [volume] (Keokuk, Iowa) 1855-1916, 1867-11-24

now Mr.. pnncaen OA4Cp rms
Rn5r Fno bomnAz1.
M DsAs Nm. DoSSss. M ~ ths1
Hq1es Greeley ~ mogs thiafs fsS5nbe{
and % tell % shout thas moel men Who haye
staid 1t homo and led civil life. HIT ! tlat
. reason vhx y oals ghesh wla - s1Abi-
ographyf Nay-vsrify.
Thars stesls hsfsrs ne llns oe D6atsssa
and worn books-Enelish classics. Their
history il little 10 them, but nscA g me. In
part, il 10 my own history. wish could
lay my hand on the ~ teok that ever
bought, after the dim idea Of . library beennH
to hover in my mindi Bot thaG boOk h konS.
Here, however, are others whose biography
/ can give. As early As 1882, began to buy
books-a few volumes, but each one 1 mon
ument Of engineering. Ny 6rst books, IL l
remember correctly, were bought Of j. s. 4
c. Adams, IN Amherst, Mass. used 10 %
in there and look wistfully al their shelves.
Ny allowance of money was very small
scarcely more than enough to pay INV nos,
tage. when letter cost 124 or % cents To
take two or thrre dollar book from my Eve
dollars Of spending money would have left
mesin state Of sad impecuniosity. There
tore Tor many, many months, took it out
in looking.
AS early as at sirfeen years of age, had
begun to speak little in public-faint peep
lnss, just such as hear in young birds be-
fore they are fully fedged. For such service,
the only payment was kind patience till
relieved them By finishing my crude efforts.
But, at that time,-say 1885,, III Vas sent BY
the college society as delegate to a Tempe
rance Convention, in Pelham, or Enfield, or
somewhere else. | conceived desire there
after 70 give Temperance lecture. have
forgotten how ever got q chance to do
it. But | remember that there came
an invitation from Brattleboro' Vt. to
lecture on the 4th of July. Nv expenses
were to be paid A modest nride warned
my heart, at the thought Of making a real
speech in public. Ismoshered all the fears
and diflidences, With the Yesoluts purpose
that noutd succeed! remember the dsys
of writing and anxious preparation, and the
grand sense OF being man, when had fin.
ished my manuscript But the most 0eper-
Gus purposes are apt to be ruined with sci.
Gshness; and my public spirit, alas, had a
financial streak of JOY in tiny expenses
were to be paid
Well, suppose chose to walk, and save
all the expenses? l should have, at least.
eight dollars of my own, of which need
give no account! That would be an era in.
deed. But grave scruples arose. Was 1t
honest to take money for expenses which /
had not really incurred? If went By stage,
might lawfully charge my fare and food
but. il neither of them cost me ANYTHING
how could ! honestly make q bill of ex-
peuses? | did not get any relief in reflect
Ing upon it. started off on foot, went nm
the Connecticut river valley, and reached
Bratteboro by way of Greenfield.
Every hour this question Of honesty re-
turned. Ny feet bllstered with walking, but
] stamped on them hard in the morning, and
the momentary exquisite pain seemed to
paralyze the sensibiity afterwards Whether
it was the counter irritation that relieved nv
brain, or whether-as | fear that | did
smothered conscience by saying to myself
that would settle the matter when the time
came. do not know how. But was re-,
liered from even that struggle, inasmuch as
not word was said to me about expenses.
or money in any form. Yet l had charm,
ing visit. The rising of the moon from be-
hind the mountain that hedges in the town
on the east powerfully excited my imaeina~
ton, and led to the writing of the first piece,
] believe, that ever printed. 1t was pub
lished in the Guest college paper, issued
chiefly as a rival to another college papar
whose name (alasl) has escaped me. And
If anybody could send me volume of that
Guest, | should be exceedingly beholden to
him t&$
But, after reaching college again-no long
e. mere student, but public man-one
who had made speeches-one who deter.
mined TO be modest, and not to allow success
to puff him up-a very great and wonderful
thing happened the post brought me let
ter from Brattlehoro' containing ten dollars.
could not believe my eyes. ! forgot my
scrupes. Providence had put it to me in
such a way that got my conscience over on
the other side, and felt that it would be sin
and shame for me to be raising questions and
scrupes on such matter But oh that bin
How it warmed me and invigorated me-
looked at it before going to sleep; exam
ined my pocket the next morning early, to be
sure thai had not dreamed it. How | nit
led the poor students, who had not. l well
knew, ten dollars in their pockets Still,
tried to keep down pride in its offensive
forms. would not be lifted up. would
strive to be even more familiar than before
with the plainest Of my acquaintances.
2" Nha. is money p said to myself otis
not property that makes the man it ISL
Well, perhaps thought it was the ability to
deliver eloquent temperance addresses. But,
great - the deceitfulness of money. l felt
the pride of riches | knew every waking
moment that had money. l was getting
purse-proud.
resolved 10 invest. There was but one
thing to invest n-books. / went to Adams
store; | saw an edition of Burkes works.
With the ease and air of rich man bought
and paid for them. Adams looked at me,
and then at the bill, and then at me. neY-
er could make up my mind whether it was
admiration or suspicion that his face ex-
pressed. But wanted him, and painted to
have him ask me, g Where did you get ill of
this ten dollar bill?''
However, / concluded that the expression
was one of genuine admiration. With my
books under my arm. q never to this day
couid get over the disposition to carry home
my own packages, returned 10 college. and
placed on my table my Volumes of Burke. I
tried to hide from myself that | had vain
purpose in it, that | WAS waiting to see Ban.
mister surprises aud to hear Howards ex-
|clamaton, and to have it whispered in the
|class room, II say-have you heard that
Beecher has got splendid copy of Burke?"
After this | was man that owned libra
|ryl became conservative and frugal. Be-
fore, | had spent at least dollar and half
la year Tor nick-nacks; but after had found
led library reformed all such wastes, and
every penny could raise, or save. l COM
PEELED TO transform itself into books.
As look back OH the influence of this
struggle for books, cannot deny that it has
been salutary. | do not believe that spent
ten dollars in all my college course for
horses, or amusements of any kind. But at
my graduation | owned about Fifty volumes.
The getting of these volumes was not tae
east important element Of my college educa-
lion. There are two kinds of property which
lend to morGiize life. What they are | will
He'll you some other time, if you will coax
me. HENRY WARD BEEcHER.
THAp. SrEvESs promises his aid to Mr..