, 1874-04-19

have taken another tbrnshlnS for the like. At
tho age OF IA, son and father parted, go
was net to take the first steps OF his own
career in the workshop OF his fathers old
THE FOUR RoYs.
Among the humble lrborerB at 11k1ey there
we're in those days fur whose minds were ahun-
ge;cd for knowledge: John Dobson, John
Hobson, Ben Whitley, and Robert Co1lEer.
These four resolved to plume their wings to-
gotlcr; they were wont to Hlt together and reed
at night so long rs their tallow-candle held out.
They read good books too; generally the best
English reyievs Each Of theao was con-
stantly putting ont his fee1e1s among
his acquaintances to borrow d book, aud
the 1ens cup1ed no1 boo t1ped g rae1
They read aloud, and in turns Any holiday
thoy had was passed in the fields, reading, aud
tho parson got only the dismal Sundays. the
bright ones being passed IN larger temple. II
TAX turu,'" said John Dobson, with just little
auayer in lis honest voice. -Four reading in the
Yorkshire tields-but ono Of them the world has
heard offs 80 many blossoms to one ripe
fruit.
John Dobson pointed me out the exact spot
where Collyer used to sit anl read for h"urs
together. :" When LIE first came" eald he. !" lie
wns about 13 years OF ago. As he grew very
soon perceived that he was an unusually clever
boy, aud used 70 tollo" i hin l about though a1;
l. VI
nor did ever notice so much bis h1l-
NOR and loyo OF fun he WAS grave aud sober.
When he got Older used TO notice that he had
q remarkable way Of SAYING things. T there
was ANYTHING much talked about in the village
auy CONTROVERSY between Catholics aud Protea-
taialts-ho used to put the whole thing in q few
words. He saw through and through 1t in q mo-
ment And sometimes III thinking over his re-
marks, remember thinking that didn't know
where it wonld end. lo seemed to me rather
too big for his place."
TIE BLACKSMITH P1EAcHEH.
Unfortunately, when Collyer began preaching
in the little Methodist chapel (Which still stands)
John Dobaoa had left tile village for time, and
he happened never to have heard him preach.
Nor could find a single person who Lad ever
heard him preach. could only get reports of
his preaching at secondhand One VINO
sed to bear hn' rd gSdmed tito to a
mons, and had told my informant, ''WLoa
Bob CoIlyer WAS called on to pray, we knew we
should lie oil crying before he got through"
Tneie seems to have bocu some sensation about
lage crier with bell to proclaim that - the vii
luge blacksmith would preach that evening. ;"
His mother remembered woman whom she
knew telling her that she had beon attracted to
the Methodist mecting-houHo by this announce
ment and expressing he1 s surprise !. rs " when she
well indeed Tho mother never heard him.
only because sho did not reside in 1llcy, and
Robert took no pains to surmount this difficulty.
He used to roy that il his mother should como
in while he vas preaching, he Was sure lie should
stop short.
The Change which Collyer's religious opin-
ions had undergone in America did not in
tho least affect the love md esteem which
bis old friends and relGtires felt for him.
II can't 20 oil the way with him, said John
Dobson, though certainly my own views have
been considerably modified from what they used
to be. But I certainly think mere Of Robert and
his new faith than do Of many orthodox people
know who have none OF hlH humanity.
ROBERT cOILYEIs MOTHER.
The mother Of Collye1 in earlier days attended
tho parish church, but pow goes TO the Eaptlst
chapel. ''It is one Of tho pleaaautest things to
me about Robert, T" she said, "that he has warm
gentleman called on me from Canada; he WAS a
Wesleyan preacher, but said that nevertheless
Robert Collyer as the best friend he had in the
world" 1t had been deep qualification to the
venerable lady, as we'll rs to har daughters, 10
hear him when he preached in Leeds and the
question Of his theology had evidently novcr dis
turbed them
/ found Mrs. Collvcr residing with her
eon-in-law, 1lr. John Shires. Of Eeeston Hill,
near Loeds. She IS blonde, beautiful old lady
of about II, with 8 gentle blua eye, and GER
tain play OF humor cbout eye and month which
left me at no loss to know whore her son got his
love OF fun. Her voice "aa clear and Kind. ana
her manner IN receiFlng an old friend OF her
tell about his early life We know nothing
abo ut Ills fathers family except that Roberts
grandfather was killed in tho battle Of Trafalgar
AZ one Of Nelson's s;ilor5: Ny parents n died 9.
smith, earning is shilioGs C. week-tEe usual
wagea ut that timo. Robert WAS born at keigh-
ley, though o11r home before and after was Elub-
berhouse. My husband had difference with
his employer about wages, and went away to
Keighley, where Robert wes born, but he IVES
only pine days old when his employer sent fer
my husband again, and ne went back to BlubbeI-
house, where my son wae christened, and which
is tho only early home he remembers. Ny hu5-
band was Los much Of a reader, and ne had in
our house only four books-tlle Bible, Bunyan's
*':Pilg1na Progress" the Young Mans Com
panion, " and 4tKobinson Crusoe." Robert went to
school in ali four years to man at Fewston NAM
ed Willie Hardie. Willie was not perhaps
lost the uEo OF lis legs and couldn't do my other
work. Robert went to see him when he came
back from America. Hardie l8 still living. That
four years-between his fourth and eighth years
of age-wns all the achoolng he ever had. He
soon learned to read, and ho soon knew our four
books BY heart. Then he laid up every penny
he could, and bought one or two other books !;
among them, ] remember, vas Sanford aud
Merton" which he very much liked Eut bis
farorite books were the Bible and Robinson
CruBoe." He WAS always reading when be VIVA
not working. never remember . meal IN which
he did not hare book open on the table, read
ing while }lo ate. He would get go lost in his
book that if We wanted him for any thing We
had to call out, Robert!'" Tho old
lady accompanied this description with
little dramatic action but feariDg
might think her son had to be
rcp1imanded. she added, delicatcly, But We
didn't cau Grossly. never had to speak sharply
to Robert-neyer-nor, indeed" with fond
look cast at her daughter) ''to any OF my clil-
dten. Robert Was always dutnul SOD, aud dld
his part we'll bv u.s."
1t WAS extremely pleasant to SOC this aged
lady surrounded By ler children aud erandch1I~
drun, taking hor cup Of comfortable tea. On the
little par]or wall, over the nlante1, Was large
photograph Of the Chicago preacher, and be-
ueath it Lis mother. intertwined With continu-
ous wreath OF green.
LETTERS FROM c0LLYEn TO JOHN Do1}soN.
I hayo before mo bundle Of old letters writ
ten to John Dobson, tho man whom Collser most
loved, and, though there is much in them that
must be ro=orved as tho treasure Of friendship,
there are other things that may be copied hero
as illustrating the growth Of the poor 1lkley boy
into the author and orator OF Chicago. In tho
earliest letters, which aIe dated from Ilkley in
1545, at which time bis friend appears to hare
been absent, there is evidence OF q very careful
reading of the royiews, chiefly the Edinburgf.
and North British. Speaking Of two reviews OF
Tyt1er. who had charmed him, he says that.
though they were full Of eloquence and Wit,
1.-s+r x3~4E