New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1875-11-24
MR.. WILSON'S EARLY LIFE.

A STORY FROM HIS OWN LPs-Hls FIRST ANTI
:. SLAVERY SPEECH.
iFRoM TIE REGULAR CORRESPONDENT OF TIKI TRlBUNE'l
WASHINGTON, Nov. 23.-My intimate acquaut-
ance with Vice-President Wilson began as recently
as 1870, although had often met him previous to
that time in the editorial rooms OF the old TRIBUNE
Office which he almost invariably visited whenever
he passed through New-York. There was nothing
cold. distant. OF repellant about Mr. Wilson's per-
sonal bearing, and as he always sought rather than
avoided the company of the Washington cor
respondents, and was a frequent visitor OF News
paper Row." nv personal relations with him soOn
became very cordial, and from that time to
this he has honored me, as he has other cor
respondents whom he found he could trust, with
sueh degree of his confidence that he always CON
versed with me very freely all subjects of public
interest even at times when our pOlltcalsympathes
were widely different.
Mr. Wilson, in his conversation very seldom re-
ferTed TO the events of his early fe although II was
not a subject that he ever avoided. Only few
months ago he spoke TO me with unusual feeling in
regard to some cruel newspaper reports affecting the
memory of his mother He said that their publica-
ton hurt him more than any personal abuse he had
ever received during his whole public life. The re-
ports utterly untrue, for his mother was one OF
tho very best women that ever lived, and to her
teaching more than to almost any other or all other
eaIiy influences he owed the formation of the best
traits of his character. He asked if it would be
proper for HIN to take public notice of these untrue
reports as he was anxious TO do everything that
would be proper to defend his mothers memory. i
heard him speak Of his father only once, but it is
hardly necessary 10 deny a report have sometimes
seen i'll print that his parents were gypsles; they
were respectable but very poor New-England people
In q conversation about two years ago on the sub
ject of labor organizations, and the condition of the
labOring classes of this country now when compared
with what il was 30 or 30 years ago, he gave
me a brief sketch of his bOyhOod and early man
hood and although the leading facts which he re-
cited have before been published, the narrative ms
he related it viii he the less interesting and
uanscribo il from notes which made at the time:
IL was born, he said, in 1872 and at the age Of
ten years put ont as an apprentice to a farmer
From the day Of my birth to the day was n years
Old never had dollar in money TO spend for any
thing During the whole of my apprenticeship my
master never but once gave me penny. On that
occasion he allowed me holiday with permission to
attend muster seven miles from home, and gave
me three cents to spend walked TO and from the
muster, aud Of course spent no more than that sum-
"On the day was 81 years old remember il
very well Saturday the 10th Of Febiuary-in
the afternoon my master gave me yoke of oxen
and six sheep. The latter sold the afternoon
for 50, but not being able 10 dispose of the oxen
that day, requested my master TO keep them for me
until Monday morning which he did, but charged
Inc so cents for it, j paid him this and took the
away / sold them 10 a man for $75 and took
his note for the amount. So when | became of age
had for eleven years work Il sent to school
only four weeks each year. $s4. ] had saved 81
cents, which had in some way obtained, but had
paid 90 Of this to my master for keeping my oxen
two nights. then hired myself to farmer, agree
ing to work for 80 a month and board used to get
up long before daylight, feed the stock. get INV
breakfast, and just the east was beginning 10 be
streaked with red start off for the woods with nv
team. used to place my dinner-pail on the sunny
side Of tree, and continue drawing saw logs to the
nill until after dark at night Then went home
fed the stock, ate my supper, and went TO bed Nv
father tended the saw-mill most OF the time for
many years for so cents day.
In the Spring Of the same year, took my pack
upon my back and started afoot for the town where
now i've Na.ick, Mass, 100 miles away, and that
journey cost me just 81 IS. worked there at shoe
making, averaging Is hours @ day. and the last
weeks work did ct the bench was at bOttOming
Shoes for 50 week Out of this paid 80 cents for
pegs and ~ for board that had left Just So 3d.
have bottomed 81 pairs of mems ahoes without
sleeping. and that for a little more than so cents.
0n'sven at this rate got some m.onoy ahead. and