Weekly Trinity journal., 1869-03-13
Early Life Of Thaddeus Stevens,
The Springfield (Mass.) Republican has the
following regarding the early "reminiscences of the

| AAAo>ASAO 0tGVem0s
The Springfield (Mass.) Republican has the
following regardingthe early "reminiscences of the
great Commoner:
i Suugly nestled among the mountains of
northern Vermont lies the good farming town of
lPeacham Some years since the writer, while
passing a few months in that billy country with
the pastor of the village, called one day on an
aged parishoner, who lived in small red house
in the outskirts of the town. It was during the
var. and the wrinkled hands of the good woman
were employed in knitting socks for the soldiers
OF course the conversation turned naturally
upon the affairs of the 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: ~
1t was over there, on that farm. Thaddeus
Stevens was born" and she pointed to gray
farmhouse, in sight, mile or more across the
hills" -
"You knew him, then ?" asked.
| uIndeed did ma am - was the enthusiastic
reply. awe used to sit on the same seat in the
old school-house down in the hollow yonder."
It REQUIRED little questioning to draw from the
willing and garrulous old soul the story of the
early life of her former schoolmate.
"The family was poor,' she said, and Mrs.
Stevens was one of those hard-working mothers
who toll from morning till night, week in and
week out. She would have worked her fingers
to the bone that her boy might get book learn
ing. Thaddeus was a sickly boy, and very lame.
Folks never supposed they'd be able to raise
him. But they did Why, remember him as
though l had seen him yesterday. He was still
and quiet like different from other boys-and
sometimes they'd laugh at him, boy-like, and
mimic his lmping walk. They didn't mean any
harm, but Thaddeus was sensitive little fellow,
and it ranked. I've always thought perhaps
that's the reason he has never been back to his
old homestead"
"Are any of the family left here?''-I asked.
"No, not any near kin. The old folks died
many years ago, of course, for am an old
4 woman now" and she stopped to heave sigh
over the dead and buried years. "But, deary
me ! how plain can see the old school-house.
Senath Jones, she was our teacher, and ] remem-
Der she used to 60 round and tap US on the head
with her thimble-fnger to make US sit still.
Pears to me- to this day, that / can feel the
dent of Senath Jones' tbimble 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 a great man amongst EN- there at
Washington.
AS said, four years have passed since the
story was told me, and some items of the ac-
count have escaped my memory. But think
shall never lose the impression OF that sad, si-
lent boy, ploddng wearily and haltingly over
those Vermont hills, smarting under ridicue
and battling with poverty, but full of high re-
solve in spite of all. Who can tell how much of
the power which is felt throughout the nation
to-day, may not have been wrought into the
character of Thaddeus Stevens oy the cruel
struggle of that early warfare. The strength
of the hills" thought as stood that night on
the steps of the low farmhouse and saw the sun
set behind the Green mountains, forty miles to
the westward, while the crimson flush of the
after-g glow Redeemed the white hills, whose pyra-
mid peaks are sharply defined against the sky
as many miles to the east. How many men who,
generation hence, are to stand as giants among
their kind, are to-day concealed among these
towering hills? In how many obscure homes
patient woman labors, ready to coin her very
lifes 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 amost said their frst-long rest?
AN ANALYSIS OF FooD.-It is stated that
hungry man who sits down before pound of
beefsteak. tender, JUICY and an inch thick, and
eats it, will find upon analysis that sixty-fve per
cent. of his steak was water that eighteen per
cent. will 60 to give him an aldermanic flesh
ness, that fourteen per cent is assigned to warm
him and make him feel comfortable on cold
day. Of the flesh forming ingredients, accord
ing to DR.. Playfair, every one, on an average
requires ninety-two pounds annually to keep up
proper bodily condition. If it is not obtained
from steaks, then it must be secured from some
thing else. Cheese is a great flesh former,
(thirty per cent? and taken with beer speedily
conceals all traces of unsightly bones Two
ounces of sh-formers per diem will keep man
alive if he is not forced to labor, but hard labor
requires six, the body will run short of starch
and sugar, and go behindhand in health and
strength. In one hundred parts of wheat there
are ten parts of flesh, but there is nearly double
tbe amount in the same quantity of oatmeal
CELESTIAL CITY.--It is said that some times
for whole week together, Treasure CITY is
wholly above the clouds, and the top of Treas
ure Hill seems an island in mid ocean. The
sun will be shining brightly at Treasure City all
day, while at Hamilton, not glimpse of the sun
will be seen, and the people will be seen shiver-
ing about the town, wrapt to, their noses in their
overcoats. Teams leaving Treasure Hill at
such times seem, in going down the grade to
Hamilton, to suddenly plunge down and disap-
pear in the waters of an immense lake-so dense
and evenly spread are the clouds. Above, all is
sunshine; below, all is shadow and gloom vet
occasonly the clouds rise above Treasure City :,
and the snow showers down and the wind howls
at a rate to terrfy the Oldest inhabitants .n
IsrfLIcIrIEs IN SAcRAxENro.-The Bee relates
that citizen on going home found a stranger
in his domicile, and on what he considered too
intimate terms with his wife. Lothario made
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