The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1869-10-14

pagear ofthe books, along which they
plodded slowly, but to such purpos
that at the end OF the winter Tom coult
read his fable, and solve the problem ii
manner very creditable to himself ant
master. fI.I'.. ..s..
Il was uphill work with poor Tom
but be never lost what little he gained
and managed 10 make what little b,
accomplished 10 tell on the future.
One day his father brought home
stranger, and told Tom that he was an
prentlced, ddHlng minority, 10 thiI
man, who would make him O black.
smith. ... ..r
But I am not going to be a black.
smith, cried Tom IN q passion: SIN
going to Congress- III y :
THE more need you should learn L
shoe the horse that carries you there,
REPLIED the father with shrug,
Tom packed up his worldly goods
not forgetting his books, and trudged
away to o distant village, where be
pared horses hoois by day, and studied
and read at night by stealth, for be wal
allowed neither knot or candle.
Six months the poor fellow tried tC
be faithful to his duty; but ono night
when his master had thrown his gram,
mar Into the fire, and lathed him fol
disobedience, Tom took leaYe OF the
workshop. he made his way, bare,
footed as he was, over bogs and brIars
until he ventured Into the main road
and BY dint Of begging ride now and
then, reached the city. As Ben Frank
LIN had done before him, with bis roll
under bis arm-he sought and obtained
employment. -
Perhaps the happlest day OF Toms
life was when he found himself In the
antiquarian bookstore with plenty Of
leisure, plenty OF books, and nothing
to fear from friend or foe, It was won.
derful how he reRd-and read. The
parched earth does not more greedily
take In the summer rain.
While his Intellectual thlrst was par.
tally satisfied, he began to work. He
saw the ladder up which be must climb,
and aeiElng the lowest round, he made
his way steadily up. We all know by
what steps an ambitious man makes
progress-by patient toil-by aelf.de.
nIRl-by courteous deportment-by the
constant acquisition OF knowledge.
Years passed by, during all OF which
Tom had looked In vain for his early
friend, the stranger. In his timid
awkwardness, he had not thought to
ask the name OF his benefactor, and the
only opportunity 10 do so had been lost.
Well, years slid away and Tom was
elected member OF Congress from the
very county where he spent his strug-
CLING boyhood. He went to Washing
ton, mot In cowhide shoes and butternui.
colored homespun, but dressed aome-
thing as Imagination had pictured, as
he looked after his benefactor on the
eventual day OF the sleighrlde.
A nobler looking man, the ladies In
the galleries said, never had appeared
upon the floor than this Yankee MEM
Der, who, II he spoke through his nose,
always drove bis arrows home to the
mark.
One day there appeared In the house
the venerable form Of an ex-member,
whom all present delighted 10 honor.
L needed but one glance at that genial
face for Tom to recognize In him the
Rlver OF the Latin grammar. He had
come, he said. to listen to the gentle-
man who had 30 manfully defended
the right, and to Wish him God speed
If, said Tom, with his old modesty,
II 1t has been my good fortune to de-
anything for our county In the hour oil
her peril, owe my ability 10 do so, 10
q great measure 10 yourself.
TO me = echoed the astonIshed gen
man; to mel 1 do not recollect ever
having had the pleasure OF meeting you
before In my llfe."
'Ah, sir. have you forgotten, then,
the little schoolboy, among the hills OF
New Hampshire, 10 whom you so kind
ly sold Latin grammar
The gentleman unused.
'Sold-sold Latin grammar! Now
that you recall the incident, do recol-
lect a little fellow that interested me,
and to whom I gave some school-books.
well, sir, I am that boy. You told
me that l might pay for them when
got to Congress. II you will honor me
by meeting few friends at dinner,
will settle the BILL