Washington standard. [volume] (Olympia, Wash. Territory) 1860-1921, 1870-12-10
A Coming President.

The Presidential election takes place III
the year 1000, one of the candidates, aud,
probably, the successful one, can scarcely
fail to be the individual who, not more than
q week ago, introduced himself to the gen.
eral agent of railroad at Quincy, Illinois,
as an American citizen in search of his
grandmother. On the late occasion referred
to, the railroad man in question was quiet
ly writing at his desk in his Office, when
the salutation of Mr. Agentw delivered
in thin, but quiet, confident voice, caused
him to raise his eyes from his work in
quest Of the speaker. Seeing no one at
first, though staring keenly around the
room, the gentleman was beginning to think
his ears had played him trick, when
second "Mr. Agent" coming apparently
from the floor, just beyond his bench,
caused him to arise from the latter in some
haste and peer .curiously over. the edge Of
the desk. There, with head not quite on
level with the desk, stood a bright-eyed,
clean-faced, but incredibly ragged boy,
who, with exemplary patience, was just be-
ginning third "Mr. A gent" when that
officials eye caught his own. In reply to
the agents natural question, this appari-
ton frankly asked a free pass upon the
railroad, as an aid to the practicability Of a
journey which he had begun on foot in the
search Of his grandmother. "And where
is she ?" asked the senior. Somewhere
in Pennsylvania, l believe" responded
Young America, who thereupon added the
following details Of his bisgrophy: The
son of parents who, upon their marriage,
had removed from the east to Missouri, he
had lost his mother while he was yet too
young to understand his misfortune, and,
a year or two after, was subjected to the
inflictiou of a step-mother. This lady was
not especially favorable to him during the
brief remainder of his fathers life; but
after that protectors death and hcr own
prompt remarriage, her demeanor intensi-
fed to such frequent beatings and with.
holding of meals that the poor little orphan
although but eight years old, fed from the
virago in dismay, and entered upon har-
dy scheme Of self-support. Made preco-
cious by suffering, he undertook the driv-
ing Of cattle for drover, who gave him
plenty Of hard work and minimum Of
harder food for year, and was then ak
most thrown into 4 ft of appoplexy by the
" owdacious ingratitude Of the little var
mint" 10 asking for some remuneration.
Perceiving that his employer was too NOR
al to give money to boys, the deffanded
mite Of humanity went over to an opposi-
ton drover Of immoral character, hoping
to do better by the change. Alas he
worked aud starved again, and on asking
for trifiing pecuniary acknowledgement
at the end Of the year, was actually beaten
like friendless dog for the unheard-o of
atrocity. So, at 10 years of age, the little
herdsman found himself adrift on the prai-
ries, without father, mother, home, or
friends, and in fair way to 60 ont Of the
world by hunger and cold. In this dire
extremity he remembered to have heard
some one remark that he had q grandmoth.
er in Pennsylvania, How to get thither
he knew not but from Quincy, Illinois,
there were railroads leading somewhere,
aud thither he would foot it for the chance.
After long, hungry, pitiful journey, he
gained the town, and hoped that the gen.
eral agent of the T. W. & W. Railway
would perceive the. propriety Of favoring
him with "pass" over the road. Most
pathetically impressed by the spirit Of this
story, and the fervorof the tiuspoken prayer
in tho child's honest eyes, the railroad off,
cial only needed the additional confession
that the speaker had eaten nothing for two
days to make him such friend as no Mis-
souai drover could possibly have believed
in. He took the future President to his
own house, made him astonish himself 10
expressibly With good dinoer. clothed