Orleans County monitor. [volume] (Barton, Vt.) 1872-1953, 1873-06-16
A Plucky Vermont Boy.

About fifteen years ago a young man
barely out of his teens, stepped Oft the |
train on the Cleveland & Toledo now
Lake Shore Railroad at Oberlin, Ohio,)
carpet bag in hand, and inquired for the
nearest hotel. He was directed to Chan
cey Wack's famous house, not far from
the depot, and at once proceeded thlth-
er and engaged a room.
Our hero registered at Wack's inno-
Gently enough, and then started up town
to prospect. Being the son of clergy
man in Vermont. and having but few
shillings in his pockets, he naturally
sought out the good citizens of Oberlin
in his quest of employment. At first
they lent ready ear to his story, and
inquired into particulars, but as soon as
they learned that be was stopping at
Wack's they fed dismayed. The young
man, after several incidents of this kind,
strangely suspected that he had got into
a smallpox hospital; but being plucky
and self-reliant, he determined to make
the best of it, and be under obligations
to nobody.
A few days later shingle dan
gled from little shop. saying to the
passer-by, blouse and Sign Painting"
and look within disclosed the young
vermonter deep in the combinations of
white lead and linseed oil. Soon from
morn till night, he could be seen perch
ed on his ladder around the town, reno
waiting walls and making his marks
Skill and perseverance brought him en-
ployment, and he continued to board at
Wack's! And even worse, then he act
ually had the audacity to accompany
Miss Helen Wack, then beautiful and
accomplished Miss in her teens, to lec-
lures and public entertainments.
Careful mothers expostulated with
their sons about associating with him.
and if the impertinent offspring asked
for reasons, they were triumphantly
overwhelmed with the reply, He boards
at Wack's p This was clincher, and
therefore no further questions were ask
ed.
The rebellion broke out, and among
the first to take an active part in th'
work of raising recruits was this plucky
independent painter.
A few months later the telegraph
reports of the bloodiest battles in tn
South contained especial mention of tn
gallantry of Lieut.. -, of the Artill
: cry. Already the young man had in
: great measure, in the eye of patriot
Oberlin, atoned for the sin of boardin
y at Wack's by the active part he had TAX
g en- in the war and when at length h
: visited the town on a brief leave of al
e sence, his society was somewhat courte
r by the literary and leading citizens
e They thought they could discover some
II thing very manly about him, and bega
= to wonder why they had not observed
n before
L A year later the poor painter W;
1t Captain of Artillery and in command
I'd Fort He'll, in front of Petersburg. H
le name was in everybody's mouth, and
If was considered an honor to grasp h
~ manly hand.
OF After peace came, the first official a
e. of this Captain was to return to Oberl
1t and make BRIDE of Miss Helen Wac
C. Oberlin then actually rejoiced with hi
and babe him "God speed" as he lt
ng for Alabama.
is, After time he returned to Ohio a.
we and started a large manufacturing
"a tablishment at Sandusky. Some t
years since, having amassed handsol
ie- fortune, he went to Arkansas and evel
lid ually became President Of and built I
Oh Arkansas Central Railroad.
to To-day that poor boy who ran aw
mt from his Green Mountain home, went
ac-' Oberlin, started paint-shop with'
all ever handling brush before in his Ii
as fought his way to captaincy, married
est prettiest girl in Oberlin, and made
no fortune, is Hon. Stephen W. DORIS
so United States Senator from Arkans
unit A nobler heart than Steve Dorsey's n
ege er beat, and not one who has known |
rap as boy and man, will begrudge him
J a good fortune. Commerce