Mower County transcript. [volume] (Lansing, Minn.) 1868-1915, 1871-09-28
The Early Days OF William L. Marcy

A CORRESPONDENT Of the Liberal Chris
tan tells this story about William L.
Marcy:
l spent day of my vacation at Charl-
ton, 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 hand,
to milk the COWS. He was ninety-two
years old. He not only milks the cows,
but drives them to pasture and goes after
them again every day, just as he has done
for know not how many years. In the
morning, as we sat under the piazza of the
hotel, the old man was seen walking along
the street on the other side, with a 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 law
such men as George Washington and John
Adams, and Fisher Ames, and mingled
with the great spirits of generation
which seems quite distant from the men
of to-day. For General Salem Towne, our
venerable friend, was formerly himself
man OF mark and influence, we'll fitted by
nature and education to associate with the
most eminent of his contemporaries. 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 hardy 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
fittest person to take charge of these un
ruly youths, and complete the term. Ev
erybody thought the new teacher would
certainly 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 element of real
good, and told him so. This, to the boy,
was most unusual acknowledgement, and
it touched his heart. Some one had sten
good ia him. He was, then, capable Of
make the endeavor.
1t was the turning point of bis life
Such was his conduct and such his pro
gress In study that his teacher advised
him to 90 on and prepare himself for col
parents, but at the urgent solicitation 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,
justifying at every step the confidence and
hope of his best friend. In subsequent
life he rose from one degree of cminencc
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 de-
served eminence, he visited Boston, and
was the guest of the then Governor of the
old Bay State. Among the distinguished
men who were invited to meet him was
General salem Towne. When the Gov
ernor saw Marcy and Towne greet each
other as old friends, he very naturally ex-
pressed Measurable surprise that they
knew each other 50 we'll. Why!' said
Marcy, "ihat is the man that made me.
When | was boy everybody was against
rue. None-no not even my own father
or mother-saW any good In me. He was
the first who believed ia me, befric ded
me, told me wha might BIZ me, and
helped me on ia life at that critical juno
tnre. Whatever OF merit or distinction
have since attaiLcd to owe to him r.ore
than to any other living person." We
need not FAY that the teacher, who has so
long survived the illustrious ,upil, it.
! proud to remember that he is the mau
who made Bill Marcy"