The Placer herald., 1871-11-04
THE EARLY DAYS OF WI. l.. MARUY.

A correspondent of the liberal Christian
tells this story of William L. Marcy:
spent day of my vacation at Charlton,
Mass AS we rode INTO the village, on the
evening of our arrival, we saw an old man
on his way from his house to the barn close
by, going, with pail in his hand, to milk
the cows. He was ninety-two years old.
He not only milks the cows, but drives them
to pasture and goes aftel them every day,
just as he has done f)r know not how many
years. In the morning, as we sat under the
piazza of tie 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 chat
ty, talking over the times that were long ago
and telling us of the years when he saw
George Washington and John Adams and
Fisher Ames, aud mingled with the great
spirits of a generation which seems quite dis
tant from the men Of to-day. For General
Salem Towne, our venerable friend, formerly
himself man of mark and influence, was
wei. fitted 10y nature and education to asso-
ciate with the most eminent of his cotempo-
raries. The General is often spoken Of as
"the man who made Bill Marcy. Bill
Marcy was native of the immediate yicini-
ty, and grew up to be a wild and hardy
youth He was thought by his parents and
all the neiehbors to be the worst boy they
knew. One winter he succeeded, in con-
junction 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 youths, and complete the term
Every body thought the new teacher would
have trouble with Bill Marcy But the
trouble did not come. The first day had
not passed before Mr.. Towne had discovered
in his pupil an clement Of real good, and toc
him SO. TLis, to the boy, was a most unu-
sual atknowled gment, and it touched his
heart. Some one had seen good in him. He
was, then, capable Of better things, and he
was determined to make the endeavor.
1t was the turning point Of his life. Sucl
was his conduct and such his progress il
study that his teacher advised him to go OF
and prepare himself for college, 1t was 6
great surprise to bis parents, but at the ur
gent solicitation Of Mr.. Towne they gave
their consent, and he was placed under the
instructions of a clergyman in the vicinity o
bis home. AT length he entered college anc
passed through the course with great sue
cess, ,justify;ng at every step the confidence
and hope of his best friend. In subsequen
life he rose from one degree of eminence anC
usefulness to another, until at last the whole
world was familiar with the name and fame
of the great statesman, William L. Marcy.
Long years after he had left bis schoolda,
haunts, and when he had come to deserved
emincnce, he visited Boston, and was th'
guest of the then Governor of the old Bay
State. Among the distinguished men wh'
were invited to meet him was Gen. Salen
Towne. When the Governor saw Marcy
and Towne greet each other as old friends
he very naturally expressed pleasurablC
surprise that they knew each other so well
"Why," said Marcy, "that is the man tina
made me. When was boy everybody
was against me. None-no, not even my
own father or mother-saw any good in me
He was the first who believed in me, tolc
me what | might become, and helled me OF
in life at that critical juncture Whatevel
of merit or distinction | have since attained
to owe to him more than to any other liv
ing person." We need not say that the
teacher, who has so long survived the Illus
trious pupil, is proud to remember that h'
is "the man who made Bill Marcy.