Watertown republican. [volume] (Watertown, Wis.) 1860-1906, 1874-08-12
Tilton's Career.
From the Brooklyn Union.

shoe trade, and had the respect Of a
large connection. Father and mother
were known as ardent Baptists, most
strict in all the observances of their
Church. Reared in such tutelage it
was no wonder that Theodore Tilton
started out earlyin life with highly
splrltuallzed nature, strongly pro
nounced opinions on church matters,
and a desire "a identify himself with what
were known at that time as the" growing
reforms of the age," a desire which
grew out of disposition which, though
dogmatic enough, had tendency to be
dogmatic outside the practical, or to
put it more plainly, to become visionary
"a curious complication which, when
added to strong animal nature and a
great force of will, made up an indi-
vidual who in the ordinary course Of
events, was bound to startle society
some day or other. Such was young
Tilton when the Free Academy of New
York found him entered on it's roll
books as student. Here he could
confess>dly have taken any quantity Of
medals and prizes. but he had scacely
left his fathers house when his strange,
eccentric nature began to show itself
and fore shadow stormy career when
the school-boy life had ended. His
convictions were opposed to the COM
petitive system in the schools,-"it
engendered petty iealousies and bick-
erings," which were unworthy of the
high and mighty coming men; he
wouldn't run for prize, and though
.faciJe oraaceps in his class, he never
held a medal. He remained at the
Free College but comparatively short
time, in which he received all the ed
ucation he ever got, and tossed him
self out into the world with nothing to
back him, and true to his instincts,
into the most stormy whirlpool on life's
sea-a newspaper Office. But before
leaving school he had made two friend
ships, which exercised a wonderful
influence On his after life. There were
two boys in the same class with Tilton
at the Free College, with whom he was
more intimate and more in sympathy
than with all the others, from whom he
rather stood aloof One of these boys
was a russet-haired, good natlred,
robust little fellow, whose appearance.
was in strong contrast to, his dreamy
looking classmate, and who was ac-
customed with true school-boy "bump-
tiotlness" to write out his high-sound-
ing name in frll-Francis De Pau
Moulton. The other was boy named
"Joe" Richards, who lived with his
widowed mother in a cottage on Living
ston street, Brooklyn, owned by Judge
Morse, where she received select board
ers. Young Tilton had often crossed
over the ferry to Brooklyn with "Joe"
in the old school-boy days, and had
been introduced to his mother and a
bright-eyed little sister, Elizabeth,
just about Tilton's own age, and just
as inclined to be ideal as himself. 'e
When the school door of the Academy
closed behind Tilton he saw in journal
ism the only field for . full expression
of his pronounced opinions to any kind
of an audience, and he found his way
to the Observer Office, where he was
accepted for anything he could do. He
soon discovered means to show a
brilliant imagination, wrote acceptable
poetry, and was ready with pen and
tongue, and everybody round the office
said that Theodore Tilton would one
day make his mark. Meantime he
had found work to do as an occasional
reporter, and every thing went well
with the young journalist. He had
mastered the mysteries of stenography,
and by-and-by came to be considered
one of the best shorthand writer's around
the newspaper Offices, where he had
many friends and still more admirers.
The visit to the cottagein Livingston
street continued. A warm affection
gradually grew UP between the young
journalist and Elizabeth. Tilton had
identified himself with Plymouth
Church, and Elizabeth had attended
the Sunday school regularly. When
Tilton was 20 years Of age he asked her
to unite her fortunes with his, and be
got the expected answer, eyes" that
they would journey through the ups
and downs Of life together.
Theodore had warm friend, a re-
porter, and he asked Maverick to
stand up with him. The marriage
took place IN short time after Eliza
beth's consent was obtained, and they
started out blithely to housekeeping,
bound up each in the other for all time
to come as young couples will until
the world ends Mrs. Richards, Eliz-
abeth's mother, had married Judge
Morse, and for the time the families
lived separately. But one year after
the young people had plighted their
troth there came about an unpleasant
disagreement in the Observer Office on
the slavery question, which unfortu-
nately led to Theodore Tilton' dismissal
from the establishment. He was afoat
N the world with young wife on his
hands, and no adequate means of sup
port just then. Tilton had become
the Superintendent of the Sunday
school of Plymouth Church, and in
his welfare and that Of his young wife
both pastor and people took decided
interest. In the year 1856 the Rev.
Henry Ward Beecher used his influence
20 have Tilton employed on the staff
OF the Independent, Of which paper
Mr.. Beecher was then editor.
Then began controversy between
Mr.. Beecher and Mr.. Tilton, which
attracted general attention to the latter.