The Hillsborough recorder. [volume] (Hillsborough, N.C.) 1820-1879, 1868-07-08
THE FIRST TEN DOLLARS
BY HENRY wARD BeEcHgR.

There stands before me d lne 0l battered
and worn books--Euglish classics. ]hei
history is litle 10 them. but much TO me
In part. il is my own history. l wish
could lay my hand on the first book lha
ever bought. after the idea that Ibrar,
began 10 hover IL my mind! Bot ,ha
book IS gone. Here. however. ale other
whose biography can give. 4, early a
1889 began To buy bouks--a few volume:
but each one d monument OF engineer
Ing. Ny first books, If ] remember cor
really, we're bought "i J. 5. and Z. Adams
IN Amherst, Mass. used to gu there an,
look wisliully at their shelves. My allow
-auce of money was very smAll--scarcel,
more than enough 10 p'y my postage
when ! letter cost twelve an! d half or
twenl, live cents, 10 take two or thre,
dollar DO X frum my live dullafs Of spend
ing money would have left me in a stat,
.of sad lmpecunioslly. There fore Zoe man,
months took IL out ia looking.
A. early - At sixteen wears ol age,
had begun 10 speak little IN pabiic--lainl
peepns. just such as near irrm ysung
birds before they are iully titdsed. fuI
such seiEIcra, The only payhent was
Lud patirnce till | relieved them oy fu
,nIsh,us my crude eii"ft. But at this time
say lS32-i MAS seat by the college
society - delegate 10 temperance c"Ii.
,eg,,pn In Pelhan or Euheld. uf somewhere
rise. wnrFc | conceived desire to give 4
Temperance lectur,. have larsntteE how
/ ever cot Il caance To do u. But rcmcm.
bcr there came an invI:aiiun from Braitle
bOruggh, W.. I" lecture nn the logtth u, guly
Ny eIpenscs we're to be paid A ,oude.
PRIDE warmed my heart. AT the thoughts Vi
m'klng real speeCh Iu public. ! smotE.
,rred iii The Tears aud ii:iidenec> with The
It,vlgte purpose that would succeed
remember the day 81 writing aHd anxiou.
preparation. and tle grsad seLse OF being
man when had finished nv mnusCrtpt
Bat the must generous purposes are api
to be ruined win sylIi,hness; anJ nay pu1
lie sp,rH. aIsu. had tinanCir streaA ul joy
IL tiny expru.e> were 10 b. pad
Well suppose | choose to walk aud save
all the expenses: should have at leas'
eight dollars Of nv "wn, ol which | need
give no account :hal would be an era i'll
deed. But grave scrUplrs aro.s. Was il
honest TO take -muucy T." expenses whtct
nad not really rHrurred: n wcat by
stage | might lawfully eharg. NV farr
aud ~ ID but VI neither ui them co.l mt
anything, how could | honestly make a
bal of expenses; | did not Get any reI'eI IA
rclls.uon upon IL. started ua on lonf,
went ap the Connecticut rwer valley, and
reached b. attlrb"tuOsh, by way Vi 6reen-
field
Every hour ,hi. question ol honesty re.
turned. Ny tcet biistered With wais,Rg,
bat stamped hard Dn them 10 the mofn
ing, and the momentary exquisite pain
seemed 10 paraltLc the seRsbiIity after.
wards. Whether ii was The counter ir.
tilatIun that reIirred NY brain OF whether
--as lear did smothereJ the matter
by saving 20 myself that would settle
the matter when the time came, ! dun'i
knuw. But was relieved from even that
struggle, Inasmuch as not word VA.
sa'd to me sbuut expenses or money ia
sny iDrm. Yet had a charming visit
The rising VI the mUOn from behtnd the
inuuntain that hedgcd IN the tuwn on The
East. powerfully excited my i'm, ,gInation,
and led 10 the writing ol the first piece,
believe, that ever printed. n was pub
l,shed 10 the Guest, college paper. whose
name (alas has escaped me. And il any.
body would send me a yolumc ui the Guest
.houId be exceedingly behol,lcn TO them,
But when reached The college again
10 longer mere student but public man
--one who made speeches -oue who de-.
terInined to be modest and not allow sue.
cess TO pun him up--a very great aud
wonderful thing happened the post
brought ne letter from Brattlcborough,
containing ten dollars. IcouId not believe
my eyes. | forgot my scropes. Prov.
drace had pot IL IN me IL such way That