The weekly clarion. [volume] (Jackson, Miss.) 1863-1882, 1874-04-02
WILLARD FILLMORE'S bon
HOOD.

late Ex-President Fillmore IN July, 1861,
and giving an account of his residence In
Sparta, Livingston county, In 1914, Is
published in the Rochester Union. We
quote some interesting paragraphs:
Il was born in Locke, (now Summer
hill, Cayuga county, in 1900, but my
father removed to Sempronius (now
Niles) in 1902, and settled upon a farm
about mile west of Skaneateles Lake
and ten miles from its outlet, where L
lived as long as | remained at home. The
whole country was then new and my
childhood was spent, as it were, in the
forest. Benjamin Hungerford was our
neighbor, engaged in the business of
embarrassing, but about the year 1872
or 1913. he sold out and removed to
Sparta. in your county, where he estab-
lished himself in the same business. Ear
" in the Fall Of 1914 he returned East
for his supply of dye-woods, &C., and
called at my fathers and expressed a
wish that l would go home with him and
learn the trade of dressing cloth. The
war was then raging with Great B-itain,
and nv Youthful imagination and ambl-
ton were much excited by what l heard
! from the soldiers who returned from the
| lines, and having an uncle and cousin ON
the Niagara frontier, L was anxious to try
the life of a soldier, and asked
my fathers permission to go
out for three months as substitute
for some one who was drafted; but he
refused his assent, and probably with
view of directing my attention from so
! foolish project, induced Mr.. Hunger
ford to ask me to 60 with him. AT all
events my father expressed strong de-
| sire that | should 60, and / consented.
K x x | went with the understanding
/ that | was to remain four months, and
| then, if we were both satisfied, we were
! to make further arrangements But
perhaps l expected too much. At any
rate the treatment | received was very
CALLING to my feelings, and has ever
caused me to feel a deep sympathy for the
Youngest apprentice (even to the printers
| devil) in every establishment, Instead
of being set to work at my trade, as had
anticipated, | was required to chop wood
and do all manner Of servlle labor and
| chores, and when | manifested some sur
prise and reluctance at this treatment,
nv murmurs were siIenced by being told
F.! that it was the usage of the trade. L bore
this some time until could endure it-no
longer, and one day when [ had been
chopping in the woods | came to the shop
| a little before dark and was ordered by
Mr. Hungerford to go on the hill and
cut some wood for the shop. | took the
AK, and as | went out of the door said
did not come here expecting to give my
time to learn to chop wood. l waited torno
reply. but went up the hill and mounted
a loo and commenced chopping. In
few minutes | saw Mr.. Hungerford COM
ing after me with his face evidently
flushed with anger. AS he approached
he said: DO you consider yourself abused
because you have to chop wood" | replied:
Yes. | do, for | could learn to chop at
home, and L am giving my time to learn
a trade; | am not satisfied, and do not
think my father will be- AS l was an
CRY. | presume my manner as well as my
language was not entirely respectful. At
all events he charged me with impudence,
and threatened to chastise me, upon
which | raised my AK and told him If he
came near me | would knock him down.
He stood silent Il moment and then
turned and walked off. Looking back
for fortv-six years at this little incident Of
nv bovhood, | am inclined to think that
this was an uniustifiable rebellion, or, at
least, that my threat Of knocking him
down was going too far, for l fear | should
have executed it; and my only lustltica-
ton or apology is that | have an Unborn
hatred to injustice and tyranny which |
cannot repress Next day he asked me
if [ wished to go home. | replied that |
came on trial for four months, and if L
could be employed in learning the trade,
Z I
return He said | might remain, and
from that time my employment was more
satisfactory.
He had large family of children, and
the fare was not such as | had been ac-
customed TO, and it required all my forti-
tude and patience to endure 1t: but L had
resolved to 90 through, and L was de
termined to accomplish what | had I'M
dertaken at every sacrifice Of comfort.
NV pride was touched at the thought of
an ignomnious failure. lie had one
older apprentice or hired man by the
name of John Durham, but our tastes did
not agree, and he was no company for
me- But, fortunately, the foreman of the
shop was VIM. Scott, still living, and
residing at Scottsburg, in your county,
who seemed born for higher and better
destiny, and whose merits, | am happy
to hear, have in some measure been APP
preciated by his fellow-citzens. In him
i found friend, and also a congenial
companion, so far as such a boy could be
a companion to man of mature years.
[ formed for him a friendship which |
still cherish with grateful recollections.
He was the only society which | enjoyed.
| scarcely visited neighbor, for only
one or two were near enough to be aces
sibIe to me. | neither saw a book nor
newspaper to my recollection. / attended
no church, and think there was none in
that vicinity, and | had no holiday except
New ears On that day we all went
down to Duncan's, on the creek, and
there for the first time in my life | saw
the rough sports of the season and place,
such as rafting, whisky-drinking, and
Understanding, with occasional displays
of athletic strength. | recollect that |
was ushered into a room almost sitting
with the fumes of whisky and tobacco
smoke, in one corner of which was live
turkey, and in the centre table sur
rounded by men who were greatly excited
in rafting for the turkey. The game. as
| recolIect it, was this: The turkey was
put up by the owner at certain price,
say four shillings, and then they put
twelve cents into hat, and each shook
them up and emptied them on the table
three times, and he who turned the most
heads in the three throws won the turkey,
but instead of taking it, he Immediately
/ put it up again at the same price, and
| the same process was gone over again;
and this continued through the evening.
( j ]