Wilmington daily commercial., 1875-11-24

When Henry wss bound out to service he had
not much time for reading. Mr. Knight WAS =
farmer who had got start in Life, and wAs doing
we'll. But thrift In farming at that time implied
early rising, Immediate attention to the first
thing In hand, adherence to the order Of business
through the day, strict watch of all the loose
ends, and careful economy OF time and money.
There WAS work always, and when the day WAS
over boys and men were usually tired, and most
Of them glad to go to bed 1t WAS not the prsc-
tice for working farmers to light up of evenings
to read and talk but the blazing logs in the
open fireplace gave light enough for 80 much
recreation of this kind "a the wearied limbs
would permit. But Henry had an excellent con-
sttution, could endure more work than most
boys, and when the family retired he would re-
main behiud in the chimney-corner, and
read till the last Pickering ember gave
up the ghost and no longer could be
punched into spasm of combustion
him to the service Of Mr. Knight he was to en-
Joy the privilege Of attending school one month
in each year, but his master construed the con-
tract 80 as to permit the schooling to be taken
when there was the least work-during snow
storms and when the weather was too cold for
outdoor operations. On the first day that he
went to school he took a copy Of Murray's gram
mar with him and WAS assigned esson For
the next three weeks MIR. Knight had work for
him, and he did not get back to school. When
be made his appearance, he was called up by the
on repeating the text from memory until
the teacher began to wonder when he
would stop. After dozen pages or 80 had been
recited the teacher made some remark about fin
ishing the lesson, and was astonished to learn
that Henry had committed the whole book, and
was prepared to answer every question. For a
boy who worked during all the hours of daylight,
and WAS a stranger to the invention of candles,
this ia about as good feat of memorzng as is
recorded in history And 30 he went on for
rQCa wa tvs duua pf i'm
struction in each year, Of the quality afforded
by the common schools Of the period. At the
end OF that time he could not be said to be a
we'll educated man, but he had acquired large
stock of useful knowledge.
Having served out his apprenticeship with Mr..
Knight Henry Wilson, a stout young man of
twenty-one, tied up his scanty stock OF clothing
IN cotton handkerchief, cut himself stout
hickory cane and started for Natick, Massachu-
| setts, where he had heard that good wages could
be earned at shoemaking. He had not learned
| the trade, but he felt certain that he could be-
| come an expert cobbler after working a few
weeks under instruction. He made the journey
Ia hundred miles or more) on foot, and went
some miles out of his way to see Bunker Hill
and to walk over the historic battle ground.
After he had graafied this patriotic impulse he
went on to Natick, and wss not long in obtain
ing employment. His trip cost him just one
dollar and five cents. He engaged good work
man to give him instructions in shoemaking, and
| business for himself. BY working al
| night he managed to earn as much
| as twenty dollars month and pay
his board besides. Having made some
money he concluded to go back to New Hamp.
shire and try his luck at trade. He bought q
load OF poultry and took it to Boston, but the
lventure turned out badly. He went back to
Natick fully convinced that it would be best for
him to obey the classic maxim and .stick to his
last" In two years and five months he made
and received pay for six Thousand pairs oi
! shoes. But this severe labor began to tell OIL
his constitution. and at the age Of twenty-four
he WAS obliged to leave the bench and rest. II
occurred to him that be would go to schoo
| while he was recovering his health, and he was
soon enrolled as pupil at Stafford Academy
New Hampshire. He taught country school,
during the winter and attended the academy il
the summer for several terms. In 1884 he re
| turned to Natick and went into the shoe bust
ness on his own account. By industry and per
severance he prpspered, and at the end of five
years he was in circumstances sufficiently COM
Portable to warrant him in taking wife.