Worcester daily spy. [volume] (Worcester [Mass.]) 1850-1888, 1871-09-07
The Early Day. of william l.. Marcy.

The Early Days of william L.. Marcy.
A correspondent of the Liberal Christian tells
this story about WIN. L. Marcy:
! spent a day of my vacation at Charlton,
Mass. As we rode into the village on the eve
ming of our arrival, we saw an old man on his
way from his house to the barn close by, going,
with pail in hand, to milk the cows. He was
ninety-twO years old. He not only miks tine
cows, but drives them to the pasture and goes
after them again every day, Just as he has done
for know not how many years. In the morn
ing, rs we sat under the piazza Of the hotel, the
old man was seen walking along the street on
the other side, with quick, energetic step,
when Mr. Pratt called HIM over to the house
and introduced us to him.
He sat down and was very chatty, talking over
the times that were long ago, and telling us of
the years when he saw such men as George
Washington and John Adams and Fisher Ames,
and mingled with the great spirits of genera
ton which seems quite distant from the men of
to-day. For Gen. Salem Towne, our venerable
friend, was formerly himself a man of mark and
influence, well fitted by nature and education to
associate with the most eminent of his contem-
pOraries. The general is often spoken of as "the
man who made Bill Marcy"
Bill Marcy was a native of the immediate
vicinity, and grew up to be wild and heady
youth. He was thought by his parents and by
all the neighbors to be the worst boy they knew.
One winter he succeeded, in conjunction with
kindred spirits, in ousting the teacher from the
district school. Salem Towne, then young
man, was summoned as the fttest person to
take charge of these unruly youth and complete
the term. Everybody thought the new teacher
would certainly haze trouble with Bill Marcy.
But the trouble did not come The first day
had not passed before Mr.. Towne had discov-
cred in his pupil an element of real good. and
told him So This, to the boy, was most I'M
usual acknowledgment, and it touched his
heart Some one had seen good in him. He
thpu paDnbln Of batfor tbiuUs and he Nvac
determined to make the endeavor. 1t was the
turning point of his life.
Such was his conduct and such his progress
in study that his teacher advised him to 20 on
and prepare himself for college. 1t was great
surprise to his parents but at the urgent solicit
tation of Mr.. Towne they gave their consent,
and he was placed under the instruction of a
clergyman in the vicinity of his home. At
length he entered college, and passed through
the course with great success, justifyng at every
step the confidence and hope Of his best friend
In subsequent life he rose from one degree of
cmincnce and usefulness to another, until at
last the whole world was familiar with the
name and fame of the great statesman of New
York, William L. Marcy.
Long years after he had left his school-day
haunts, and when he had come to deserved
eminence, he visited Boston, and was the guest
of the then governor of the old Bay state
Among the distinguished men who were in
vited to meet him was General Salem Towne.
When the governor saw Marcy and Towne greet
each other as old friends, he very naturally OK
pressed pleasurable surprise that they knew
each other so well. "Whyl" said Marcy, "that
is the man that made me. When was boy
everybody was against me. NOue-no, not even
my own father or mother-saw any good in me
He was the first who believed in me, told me
what might become, and helped me on in life
at that critical juncture. Whatever of merit or
distinction have since attained to | owe to him
more than to any other living person" We
need not say that the teacher, who has so long
survived the illustrious pupil, is proud to re-
member that he is "the man who made Bill
| Marcy"