The Wheeling daily register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1864-1878, 1871-11-01

little and hamfsrped treewss 70 hi.
father for the purpose of enabling him
70 save his land from forfeiture, was no
ordinary sacrifice, assit postponed for a
year all prospect Of prosecuting his
studies, and condemned him. for a
while, to sti8e the high hopes he then
nourished in bis bosom.
Early in the, spring Of 1909 Mr..
Ewing set out again for the Kanawha
salt works. The whole Of this season,
until November, he spent in most sssid.
uous labor, and he succeeded well-the
profits Of the season being about four
hundred dollars, out of which be appro-
prlated sixty 70 pay the balance due on
his father land. I He spent the winter
at Athens, then a flourishing sacsdemy,
but irregular in the course OF studies "a
1t leftthe student to pursue such a course
as he might think proper. At the end
of about three months be left this acad.
envy and returned to Kanawha-after
receiving there such encouragement
from the President of the institution,
and such a stimulus from others, as
liked his determination to procure the
means Of obtaining an education. The
next two years he devoted to this object
and he returned from the Kanawha in
November, 1912, with about eight hun
dred dollars in money, but with his
health considerably impaired by severe
hard labor.
This sum he supposed would be
enough to enable him to 20 through
the preparatory studies and ACQUIRE a
profession. His health, however, was
so much injured that he was unable to
recommence his studies. But he again
fell upon the library, in the neighbor-
hood of his home, which was now en-.
larged; and, from the repose given him,
and the leisure spent in reading such
authors as Don Quixote, he laughed
himself into such good health and
spirits that in December he was able to
60 back to Athens, where be continued
to be most indefatigable student until
the spring of 1914. His progress during
this time was very rapid. He became
familiar with many of the best English
authors; and as his judgment matured
he easily obtained knowledge of the
English grammar, rhetoric and logic.
Mathematics, however, was his favorite
study, for which he had a natural incli-
nation, and hence Euclid was the
favorite author. The philosophy which
depended upon mathematical demon
stration he studied with care and
pleasure, and in it made much pro-
fciency.
He also studied the Latin, but deter.
mined to omit the Greek.
In 1914, Mr.. Ewing became satisfied
that his funds would not hold out, and
be took school in Gallipolis.
Not liking this employment, at the
end Of a quarter he relinquished it, and
returned to Kanawha, the scene OF his
old labors, to collect small sum that
was due him, and to see what could be
done towards adding something to his
funds. He threw off the dress of a
student and again went to work in the
Salines. He hired a furnace, and in
one month Of incessant toll, the severest
he ever undertook, he improved the
state of his finances 80 that he felt con-
tideut they would bear him through his
studies.
At some period OF his labors at the
Kanawha salt works-and it was prob
ably this-he labored twenty hours out
of the twenty-four, and he was often
during the four hours allotted to sleep,
working with open eyes, but still asleep,
between the two rows of boiling salt
kettles. where false step would prob
ably have destroyed his life.
With his hard earned treasure be re-
turned to Athens, where he continued
till the spring OF 1915.
At the examination in May, 1915, the
Trustees of the Institution rated him
the degree Of A. B., being the first, with
one other. upon whom the degree was
onferred by college in Ohio.