Cedar Falls gazette. [volume] (Cedar Falls, Iowa) 1860-1895, 1868-10-09
A ISeminfscence of Thad.
Stevens.
Early Life Of tho "creat Common
er."

Snugly nestled among the noun.
tains of Northern Vermont lies the
good farming town of Peacham.
Some years since the writer, while
passing n few months in this hilly
country with the pastor of the vii
lage, called one day on parishoner,
who lived in small red house In the
outskirts of the town. 1t was during
the war, and the wrinkled hands oil
the good woman were employed i'm
knitting socks for the soldiers. OF
course the conversation turned natu-
rally upon the affairs of the country.
While talking of the army, the Pres
ident and Congress, the name oil
Stevens was mentioned. Instantly
the large black eyes of our hostess
frightened, and she said: ''It was
over there, on that farm, Thaddeus
Stevens was born,n and she pointed
to a gray farm house in sight, a mile
or more across the hill. "You knew
him, then ?" | asked. "Indeed /
did ma'am - was the enthusiastic
reply. 1--WE used to sit on the same
seat, in the old schoolhouse in the
hollow yonder." 1t required little
questioning to draw from the willing
and garrulous old soul the story of
the early life of her former school
mate. THE family were poor" she
said, "and Mrs. Stevens was one OF
those hard working mothers who toll
from morning till night, week i'm and
week out. She would have worked
the fiEgers to the bone that her boy
might get book learning. Thaddeus
was sickly boy, and very lame.
Folks never supposed they'd be able
to raise him, but they did! Why
remember as though 4 had seen him
yesterday. lie was still and quick
like; different from most boys-and
sometimes they'd laugh at him, boy
like, aud mimic his limping walk.
Ihey didn't Smean any harm, but
Thaddeus was sensitive little fell
low, and 1t ranked. I've always
thought that is the reason perhaps he
has never been back to the old home
stead" Are any of the family
here ~ i asked. mo not any near
kin. The old folks died many years
ago, of course for I'm an old woman
now," and she stopped to heave
sigh over the dead and buried wears.
"But, dear me! how plain can see
that old school-house. Senath Jones.
she was our teacher, aud remember
she used to go round and tap us on
the head with her thimbie finger to
ifsake lis sit 'stfii. Pears to me, to
this day, that can feel the dent of
Senath Jones' thimble on my head.
| wonder If Thaddeus Stevens ever
remembers the old times. 'Taint at
all likely. He's had SO many other
things to think of. I've heard that
he's got to be great man amongst
those at Washington" As I said,
four years have passed since the story
was told me, anl some items of the
account have escaped my memory.
But think shall never lose the
impression of that sail, silent boy,
plodding wearinely and hnltingly
over those Vermont hiIls--smartinv
under the ridicule and battering with
full of high resolve 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? "The strength
of the hills" 4 thought as stood
that night on the steps of the low
farm house, and saw the sun set be-
hind the Green Mountains, forty
miles to the Westward, while 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 these
towering hills? In how many ob.
scure homes patient woman labors,
ready to coin her very life's blood
that the boy of her pride may rise
and shine, when her own eyes are
closed, and her own toil-hardened
hands folded In their last--I almost
said tirst---long rest - Pcrmont
.. -. ....