The Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1877-1885, 1877-04-02

Inc following letter from Capt Havar-
stick was not intended for publication, but
1t contains SO many good hits, and such a
rich vein of humor, for which he is notedl
that. without asking his permission, we
publish it, thinking it worth preserving in
this connection. It is as follows:
Col. Danforth ..-
When man writes his own Biography
he practlcally'Wrltes his own eulogy, az
act which must always be repugnant to
men OF delicate1tas and culture, as news,
paper men are supposed to be.
L have given you the enclosed brief out
line OF some of the more eventful passages
IN my history, at your request. | think il
Is fWll enough for your purpose. But lest
you might think that | have given vou
only the good, take the liberty of COINS
Dore into detail for your private informa
tlon,-as follows:--
| entered the world in the usual way
was baptized IN infancy, studied the
Heidelberg Catechism and was confined ir
the German Reformed Church, by a
preacher who used to trade horses and
steal pumpkins from my father-I grew
up to the age of II between a pair OF blow
handles on one of the rockiest and stumn-
lest farms in the Cumberland Valley; in
the mean time gathering what knowledge I
could, in an old log scho i house, whose
| distinguishing feature was a pair of wood.
en- pegs ; ahiad the teachers desk, on
which lay two or three bircheu hoop poles,
for disciplinary purposes in the school
| taught school myself, awhile, and
| finally struGk le1 into College the college
that graduated las. Buchanan, Judg,
Greer of the Supreme Court, John 4. j.
Cresswell and other eminent men. About
| four months before graduated, the faculty
gave me unanimous permission to leave fol-
| a time-which did, but returned, passed
my examination ard received my degree OF
| A. b, standing second 10 my class, and
| delivering the Latin Salutatory on Com
mencement Day. Three years later the
same faculty selected me to deliver the
Masters Grafton and bestowed upon me
the degree of A. M.-for which | paid
| them SIS.
The sword which | carried in the late
war is an old blade which nv grand.
father carried in the war of lSl2-14, on the
Canadian frontier. and which my father
used IS captain of a militia company in
Lancaster Co., Pa. The only service ever
knew my father to do with that sword was
to guard the gallows on which certain
John Haggerty was hung in Lancaster
City Pa, for numbering his wife, many
years ago. That sword is in my possession
and ready for use in the next war.
| worked at paper mill one summer
| that is to say, | drove mule team by day
and studied Andrews Latin Grammar by
night. My tutor was Prot. A. f. Mullin. Of
Papertown, Pa, then student in Dickin-
son College.
There are many Ito me) interesting oc.
currences in my history which modesty and
a due regard for your patience forbid me
enumerating. | will only add that | am
married six years. have wife and three
children. probably the heaitbiest and nois
TEST youngsters of their age in the state
Built my own house and barn, and bull
the present Union office. Am poor al
country newspaper men usually are and az
Divine Providence seems to indicate they
shall ever remain. Am now In the pottery
business. making good ware and allowing
the usual discount to the trade. The P.
Ps.. which | am now manufacturing are
highly commended and the business prom
ises to be blessing alike to the Western
public and to yours, &C..
L. M. HAvERsTICK.
Ito be continued.l
4 M@=.s.sz.@.=