Delaware tribune. [volume] (Wilmington, Del.) 1867-1877, 1868-03-26

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teen. Mr.. Wade came to the conclusion that
the East was poor place for n young man,
and determined to seek his fortune in the
Far West. After resolving the proposition
in his mind for two years, he fixed upon
Chicago, then small village as the place of
his future residence. With seven dollars in
his pocket, a pack upon his back. in which
were his clothes, and stout stick, young
Wade set out on foot to walk from Massa-
chusetts to Illinois, by way of New York,
for he was determined to see the great city,
about which he had heard so much.
What must have been the feelings of the
old Senator when, more then thirty years
aiterward, he, great, rich, surrounded by
friends, was carried in gilded cars on special
trains over the csuntry, and in great process
sions, amid huzzaing thousands, through the
streets of the very cities where, when boy,
he had trudged with his pack and stick.
God bless America, the poor boys home
God bless her Tor such examples of human
greatness. Our own dear native land, where
the humblest lad, if he carries an honest
heart in his bosom, may hope to rise to the
highest honors of the nation.
Mr.. Wade, after tedious journey reached
Ashtabula county, Ohio, where he had a
brother living. Here lie was persuaded to
stop for a few weeks, and the snow falling
in the meantime, he determined to work until
spring, and then to cross to lake In boat
to Detroit, and make his way from there TO
Chicago on foot. That winter he chopped
cord-wood at fifty cents per cord and found.
during the long winter nights he read the
Bible through by the light of pine knots
piled on the hearth of the rude cabin in
which he slept.
During the years 1921 and 1922 young
Wade chopped wood, rolled logs and grub
bed in the summer time, teaching q school
in winter. In the fall Of 1923 a drover en-
ployed him to assist in driving cattle, and
Wade led u steer in front of the herd all the
way from Ohio to New York. His little
pack was tied on the back of the ox's horns,
and with rope to lead him by, our future
statesman logged along day after day. While
riding out not many years ago with col
league, the old Senator passed a drove of
cattle, and when he heard the boy with the
lead steer call out in the nasal twang pecu-
liar TO droyers, "Come boys, come, a-ho-a
o, a-ho-a-o!" he laughed heartily, and said
to the distinguished gentleman by his side,
g that reminds me of when / was boy, and
used 10 call the herd just so.
Wade walked six times from Ohio to New
York, and on one of these trips came near
losing his life. He was leading a steer as
usual in front of the drove, when he came
to long, covered bridge. The gate keeper
according to the rules, would Only allow
few of the herd to pass over at a time, lest
their weight should injure the bridge. Wade
started with the advance guard, but the cat
tie in the rear becoming frightened, rushed
into the bridge and stampedcd. Young
Wade made haste to run, but finding he
could not reach the other end before the
frantic cattle would be upon him and tram
pie him to death, he ran to one of the posts,
and springing up caught hold of the brace,
aud drew himself up as high as possible.
He could barely keep his legs out OF the way
of the horns of the cattle, but he held on
while the bridge swayed to and fro, threat
ening every moment to break under the
great weight that was upon it. At length
the last OF the frightened animals passed by,
and our dangling hero dropped from his
perch, to the establishment of the drovcr,
who thought he had been crashed to DEATH
and was riding through the bridge, expect
ing every moment to find his crushed and
mangled body.
In 1925, Mr.. Wade, having crossed the
mountains with drove of cattle in the fall,
stopped near albany, New York, and taught
school that winter. In the spring he hired
as laborer on the Erie Canal, and worked
with whcelbarow and spade all that sum-
mcr. Senator Seward, in speech in the
Senate. thus alluded to this event in Wade's
life. Speaking of the Erie Canal, Senator
Seward says:-
"IIow was that done? l mean whence
came the labor that did it? I know of but
one American citizen who worked with the
spade and whcelbarrow on those works.
Doubtless there are many Others, but know
only one, and he. am glad to say, is now
member of this floor, (AIr. Wade of Ohio)
and one of the most able and talented
members"
The editor of a leading daily paper not
Ion: since charged Mr.. Wade with not taking
sufficient interest in the welfare of the work
isg classes, when the Senator, in public
speech, ut Cincinnati, took occasion to say,
81 can tell that editor have not forgotten
the days when | dug with spade ON the
Eric Canal, nm have | forgotten the men
with whom labored, though regret to say
they have nearly always voted against me.
They were lrishnien, and MS lrishmcn always
spend their money freely, sonieiimes, when
the priest came around for his tilheS, they
had no money, and then | would loan them
ninc; but | say 1t to their honor, that when
payday came, they always paid me back
every cent that was due me F"
In the fall of 1926, Mr. Wade returned to
Ohio and taught school that winter. Next
spring, the Hon. Elisha Whittlesey, who
al'erward lived SO long in Washington, and
was known all over the country for his
come and stay with him at his law Office at
jefferson, Ohio. Mr.. Thompson, a hotel
keeper in the place, who had taken fancy
to Wade, offered to board him, Wade help
ing him sometimes about the Eotel, aud ut
the age of 2G he began reading law. Mr..
Whttlesey soon detected his Students tai
ents, especially in calculating difficult legal
points. and not only assisted him with adj
vice, but insisted on loaning him such sums
of money as were required for his most pres
sing wants. When, in after years, Mr.
Wade reached Washington as United
States Senator, one of the first men he met
was Mr.. Whittlesey, and the meeting be
tween student and preceptor was not only
cordial, but such as might he expected TO
take place between father and son.
Mr.. Whittlesey kindly undertook to intro
duce his protege into the ways of political
life at the capital, and for time Mr.. Wade
submitted quietly enough to the formulas of
his good-hearted but somewhat fastidious
friend. One day, Wade, becoming weary Of
the forms required of him by his chaperon,
broke the whole thing up with "Oh, d-n
your llummery and fashions, Whittesey, it's
all well enough for them that like it, but |
must be plain Ben Wade, for l couldn't be
anything else il l were to try for hundred
years." and ever afterwards Mr.. Wade re-
fused to attempt to be fashionable. Mr..
Whittlcscy was not little proud OF 'hs
boy" az he called Wade, and until the day
of his death Mr.. Wade continued devoted to
his old friend, than whom Il better man new
er lived.
ii.
Benjamin +. Wade completed his law
studies in August, Is2S,and was admitted to
practice in the Courts of Ashtabula county,
Ohio. He settled down at Jefferson, and
was nearly 30 years old before he received a
case. His first attempt at the bar was in
. defense Of a young man charged with some
petty oflense, and so determined was he to
clear his client that the old lawyers we've
greatly amused at his vigorous efforts and
earnest appeal for justice to his client AL
though the case may have appeared small to
others, it was big case for Wade, and he
worked at it with all his might. So jealous
was he, that after the trial was over, the
good old presiding Judge condesccndcd to
privately give him word of encouragement.
Mr.. Wade says no one can know how much
good the kind words of the Judge did him,