The workingman's advocate. [volume] (Chicago [Ill.]) 1864-1877, 1871-04-15
writt. n for the Advocate.
SAMUEL DREW.
BY O. W. RIcBARDs
iCONTINUED.)

(coNTISUED)
: The young shoemaker stopped at ,Lish
cal, where he got some employ ment at bi
. trade, but the master soon discovered ths
' ne was a runaway apprentice, and dis
! charged him, as he did not wish to incu
) the penalties consequent on encouragln,
8 such refugees. The following day hi
E brother came in search Of him And b,
consented to return on the condition tha
nls lndentures were cancelled, and that h,
D snould not be compelled to return to hi
former master. All that be desired wa
granted, and he remained at home seve
months. He then afterwards went to Ply
mouth, where be wrought at his trade fol
more than two years and engaged, at leas
, be never contradicted it, with smugglers;hs
, was then known far and wide as an able
dIsPutant, aid exceedingly apt at repartee
Up to this time be was exceedingly igno-
rant, and scarcely ever opened book.
A great change was however shortly ia
ensue in the destiny Of Samuel Drew. In
January 1866 he removed to St. Ansteli,
and became foreman to a man who united
the trades Of bookblnder, saddle and shoe
maker. In after life be thus speaks Of him
self at this period II was scarcely able
to read, and wrote badly. Literature was
term to which | could annex no idea.
Grammar | knew not the meaning Of I
was expert at trihes, acute at folles. and
ingenious about nonsense" Many of the
most influential men of St. Austell fire.
quently came to bis masters shop, discussed
the topics Of the day, and frequently
appealed to Drew for his opinion. The
young man was both confused and ashamed
but bis natural good sense taught him his
deficiencies, and he now sought knowledge
with the greatest avidity, every book that
came to be bound was closely examined.
He added to his stock of words with the
anxiety of miser increasing his boards.
The more read, the more feel my ig-
norance, and the more feel my insignih.
canoe, the more invincible became nv en-.
ergy to surmOunt it Every leisure mo
ment was employed in reading one thing
or another. The reader may trace similar.
ity in this career to that Of the printer
statesman. Gaunt penury was his constant
companion, nor had Drew much leisure,
but what little be had was turned to the
best account. At meals his book was con.
stantly before him. And thus while re-
freshing the body, he nourished the mind.
Drew might then have sung: "Work,
werk, WORK" tap, tap, tap, from dewy
mol to spSngled eve, the tools were never
out of his hands, nor was the busy brain
ever at rest.
A great treasure fell into his hands.
Locke's ESSAY on the Understanding" was
brought to be bound. Drew had never
seen 1t before, or even heard of the name
and fame of It's great author. The over
seer of the Brazilian mines when be discov-
ers stone weighing twenty carats, could
not have been moro enchanted. The reg ons
Of mental science were land open TO one Of
! her most ardent votaries. Hitherto he had
been like Columbus, after quitting the
well known paths, at loss where to 90.
Now he had a pilot, the key to investiga-
ton was in bis hands, be at last had found
| Wudu uc uCouCus CoAc PdcScu UcIOTC Uc
again saw the book, and yet the impression
on bis mind was painted in the brilliant
tints Of the prince of Italian artists. ''Thls
book set all my soul to think and reason
from all without and all within. 1t gave
the first metaphy sical turn to my mind and
| cultivated the little knowledge Of writing
| had acquired, in order to put down my
reflections 1t awakened me from my stu
por, and induced me TO form a resolution TO
abandon the grovelling views l had been
accustomed to entertain"
Another and better change was close at
band, The triumphant death of bis brother
induced him to examine the principles Of
christianity, and the preachings Of the sub
seouently celebrated Adam Clark, aided by
the perusal of the Pilgrims Progress,
deepened the impressions Of the solemn ad-
monltions he had received frem bis brother.
Old things passed away, a food Of bril-
| liant light shOne on bis soul, and be was
an altered man. Drew was no hypocrite,
and the change was sincere and lasted to
the Of his life.
Drew now began, though with no very
hattering prospects, business for himself on
a small scale, and with trifing borrowed
capital of twenty dollars lie labOred
with the hammer and lapstone, eighteen
hours out Of the twenty-four, but untore-
seen circumstances occasionally thwart the
best laid schemes and prevent their cOnsum-
nation. The working population Of the
British empire las in the secession war
sympathized with the colonists and indlg-
nantly blamed the conduct of the king and
his ministers; they feared that the British
crown would be robbed Of its brightest
Jewel, and dreaded an additional taxation
The working men discussed these matters
at great length. Sometimes these conver
satlons would be held at Drew's shop. A
singular incident however abruptly ended
bis political career. One night be had
been at friends till late, canvassIng the
, momentous question which then agItateC
the civilized world, and was obliged to wort
to make up for the time be had lost. Al
r idle urchin passing by, seeing the light
whistled through the key-hole, ''sbOemake
run about by day, work by night" For
. moment the shoemaker was silent, be fel
t that the reproof was well deserved he haC
: never been SO reproved in his life, and h'
felt that the boy was right. From that tim
. be abandoned politics, though be alway
voted for the liberals, and Cook an activ
+; part in the Catholic emancipation.
: Industry and proper use Of time ha'
f overcome many Of the difficulties Nhic
{ beset the career of this self taught man, an
0 he was anxious to extend the knowledg
} ne had 50 painfully acquired. Modern nli
e tory at first tempted hun, but he found th
e books be would be compelled to purchas
o were beyond his means, nor bad be th
q time To t,nrsna the al.horata investigation