Litchfield enquirer., 1875-11-25

have been a success. An education which fitted him for that place would have made l of him. The education he received un- fitted him for farming, or rather made him think himself unfit for it, and as he
 had no special aptitudes he drifted about
 loose till he'ran. aground on poetry, and then he became one of the worlds fail 1 ures.
 Small ambitions are characteristic of snall minds, but they are not to be con- uemned because they are small, for the most meagre of aspirations is better than none. Miranda Markham aspiring to fill the poets corner of the' Flag of Freedom, or the Ladies Prattler,"i IS a great way aiiead of Miranda Markham throwing the entire energies of her soul into yeast, or soft soap, or the latest thing in under skirts and Mrs. Dr. Short rising ever so early to get her ashing out before Mrs. Dr. Blinker rises, is far better than Mrs. Dr. Short with no aspirations at all. I give my unqualified approval to all small ambitions save one, the desire to outshine ones neighbors in dress and fnery. This desire is almost entirely confined to wo- men men do not covet fame in this di-
 I especially disapprove of this desire in married woman, unless they earn thRfr spending money performing labor outside their households. and even then think it would be more to their credit to put a snug little sum in the bank for their hus- band. --
 But if small ambitions are characteristic of smdll minds, so are great ambitions the fruits of great minds and l humblY feel that am shining example of this law. Rfsrr1 of hnk rnGTNn0koh hIn OaPQnto was intended by them to grace the tailor's bench. Blu l. early left the shears, the press-board and the goose. for books and blackboards, and by dint of untiring in- dustry secured an education. At last a graduate of theological seminary,I was regularly installed pastor of the church at Betsey's Corners. small town in the cas- tern part of the State of New York
 had been there three months when I fell in love with Mary Jane Bobbs, my present wife, and one month from that date married her. The persecution I suffered in consequence of my marriage no tongue can tell, no pen portray. The old ladies gave up inviting me to tea, tine young ladies scarcely spoke to me, and the conduct of the elderly spinsters was simply appalling. The pew rents fell of, and the prayer meetings were deserted ex- cept by the brethren. was for the first time in my life compelled to buy my own study gowns, slippers and gallowses. and as we had to take our meals at home, the cost of our living exceeded my salary, which was two hundred and fifty dollars per annum.
 But I felt that I had labor to perform which the world could not dispense with, and determined no Betsey's Corners should annihilate me I called presby- tery, and succeeded in dissolving my con nection with the Corners Church. I was invited to preach at Griggsville, and on the appointed Sunday delivered my great discourse on the 'finaI Condition of the Wicked" with great acceptance was unanimously called to the pastorate,. ac- cepted, and Griggsville has been my home since that date
 Though have labored under physical disabilities, such as short.sightedness and defective. lisping speech, l need not men, tion my reputation for eloquence and pull pit power. Though my pastoral duties have been severe, 1 need not proclaim the fact that have found time to write sev- eral excellent books. "Buttles' First Prin- ciples of Religion, and Entities Perse. verance of the Saints, am assured will be read when Luther and Calvin are for gotten names, and Buttles' Apples of Sodom," and Thoughts on Solomon's Song" know are now repssing on every centre-table in the land. . E.#
 Nothing but a sincere desire for fame combined with extraordinary mental pow CTS could have carried me through so many labors. Yet am not proud, 1 have only just appreciation of myself. .
 Not only is present fame a sweet return for we'll directed effort, but still sweeter is the thought that unborn millions of pos- terity will cherish your memory. Under the inspiration of that thought, about ten years ago planted n fine row of Lombar- dy poplars in front of my house. It is now my chief delight to sit by my front stoop, if it be sunRer, or by my study window if it be winter, and gaze up Tur- key street, the main avenue of Griggsville, and mediate on the time when I shall be no more, those trees will be cut up into canes, thread-boxes, tatting-shuttles, ,card- cases and paper-cutters, nicely polished, and stamped with picture of the Griggs- vile parsonage with Turkey street in per spective. beneath which will be the legend, ''The Home of Uriah Xerxes Buttles, made from wood cut on the spot"
 trust do not cherish vain hope, if desire that men shall hereafter say of me,
 'Dea!h makes no conquest of this conquerer
 EAP 1t..wh he IfSpa in fa1nR thOn0h hNas{i fin ifo