The Tiffin weekly tribune. (Tiffin, Ohio) 1859-1868, 1868-03-12
"Reminiscences of Thad. Stevens.
Early Life of the "areat Com
moner."

moner."
Snugly nestled among the noun.
tains Of Northern Vermont lies the
good farming town Of Peacham.
Some years since, the writer, while
passing a few months in that hilly
country, with the pastor Of the vii.
lage, called one day on an aged par
isher, who lived in a small red house
in the outskirts Of the town. 1t was
during the war, and the wrinkled
hands Of the good woman we're en-
ployod in knitting socks for the
soldiers. OF course the conversation
turned naturally upon the affairs of
tho country. While talking of the
army, the President, and Congress,
the name of Stevens was mentioned
Instantly the large, black eyes of our
hostess frightened, and she said: at
was over there, on that farm, Thad
deus Stevens was born" and she
pointed TO gray farm house, in
sight, mile or moro across the hill.
"You know him. then p l asked.
"GDdeed, did ma'am2' was the
enthusiastic reply. 1--WE used to sit
on the same seat, in the old school
house down in the hollow youder."
1t required little questioning to
draw from the willing aud garrulous
old soul, tho story of the early life
Of her former school mate.
"Tho family was poor" she said,
and Mrs. Stevens was one of those
hard.working mothers who toll from
morning till night, week in aud week
out. She would have worked her
fingers to the bone that hor boy
might get book learning. Thaddcus
was sickly boy, and very lame.
Folks never supposed they'd be able
to raise him. But they didI Why,
| remember him as though had
seen him yesterday. He was still
and quick like; different from the rest
of boys-and sometimes they'd laugh
at him, boy like, and mimic his limp.
ing walk. They didn't mean any
harm, but Thaddcus was a sensitive
little fellow, aud it ranked. I've
always thought, perhaps, that's the
reason he has never been back to the
old homestead"
care any of the family left here ?"
| asked.
No; not any near kin. The old
folks died many years ago, of course,
for I'm an old woman now" and she
stopped to heayc sigh over the dead
aud buried years.
"But, dear mel how plain I can see
the old school house" continued she.
"SeDath Jones, she was our teacher,
aud remember she used to 60 round
and tap us on the head with her thin
BILE finger TO make us sit still. Pears
to mo, to this day, that l can feel the
dent of Senath Jones's thimble on
my head. | wonder if Thaddeus
Stevens ever remembers tho old times
'Talnt at all likely. He's had so
many other things to think Of. I've
heard that he's got to be a great man
amongst them there at Washington"
AS | said, four years have passed
since the story was told mo, and some
items of the account have e'caped my
memory. But | think shall never
lose the Impression Of that sad, silent
boy ploddiug wealily aud hsltingly
over those Vermont hills, smarting
under ridicule and battling with pow
erty, but full OF high resolves in
spite of all. Who can tell how much
Of the power which is felt throughout
the nation to-day, may have been
wrought into the character of Thad-
deus Stevens by the cruel struggle OF
that early warfare !? "Thc strength
Of the hills l thought, as l stood
that night on the steps of the low
farm house, and saw the sun set be.
hind the Green Mountains, forty
miles to tho westward, whilo the
crimson flush of the after glow red
dened the white hills, whose pyramid
peaks are sharply defined against the
sky as many miles to the east. How
many men, who, a generation hence,
are to stand as giants among their
kind. are to. day concealed among
these towering hills? In how many
homes a patient woman labors, ready
to coin her very lifo's blood, that the
boy of her pride may rise and shine,
when her eyes are closed and her own
toil-hardened hands folded in their
last-I almost said their frst-long
rest?--SpringJield { .nass) Republicqa. |