The news and herald. (Winnsboro, S.C.) 1877-1900, 1878-04-16

years alter tho poor boy had won
the first honors Of his university,
had boon in the Legislature, had
been The means Of building tho
greatest railroad in the South, and
had become at last the leader Of the
Wing party in Congress and owner
Of Il thousand acres of land 1t was
then that Il poor widow, Mrs.
Parkcs, came into his library ut
Liberty Hall, loading a pretty little
girl by tho han. i, and told him that
hy reason of tne lax habit of her
husband in never taking receipts,
her whole estate, worth nearly
quarter of a million of dollars, had
been seized by pretended claimants.
She had no money, but offered him
onc-half Of the property to save it
for her. He took the case, and, by
great labor and research, won 1T for
her. She came to thank and pay
him. and he said DO remem-
Der a poor lad whom you kept all
night, when on his way to school?"
She did not ut first, but soon said:
ooh, yes, L do for he was so fond
Of the baby. This is she with mo.
DO you know her?" eyes" he
said II am tho poor boy, and now
T pay my bill. You do not owe mo
anything, for I still owe you my
love"
When littlo Mary Parke's married
har part of tho property was
$S0,000. Each Of her two sisters
also had as much. Mr.. Stephens
patrimony had been $444. On this
he graduated, and began the study
OF law on the 2Gth Of May, 1884.
He refused an offer of $1,000
year with a partner, but lived on
six dollars a month, blacked his
own boots, groomed his own horse
(ufter he had one), and made his
own pies, ana, also, made $500 the
first year.
Mr. Stephens tolls, with great
gloe, a story Of his first going to
court. Tt was indispensable that u
lawyer should enter town horse
back, Mt least, and he owned no
horse. His uncle-Aaron w. Grier
lived half way on the road to the
town of Washington, but considera-
bly, off the road. Ho walked there,
carrying his saddle~bags and bor-
rowed horse. He rode, however,
q less distance than no had walked
to procure tho horse. TO make his
entrance tho more impressive he
dismounted in a pine thicket, out,
side of town, and after washing his
face in n stream, and dusting his
shoes, he put on q clean pair of
white cotton pantaloons, starched
to resemble the white linen worn by
Southern gentlemen. Thus, fresh
and clean, he made his entry. He
does not say that the court was
much impressed by his display,
but he does say that in leaving
town he undressed in the same
thicket and put on his soiled
clothes for the weary starlight walk
home after ho should return tho
hon sc.
The great statesman has had to
bear the consequences through his
whole ]ife of a slight form and
boyish look, but these DEFICIENCIES
have had mostly only m amusing
and sometimes on agreeable effect.
In the earlier part of his career
great commercial convention of
many States was hold ct Charleston,
S. c., and Mr.. Stephens having been
asked to make tho great speech of
+ the occasion, consented to do so'
His fame had already extended
beyond the country in which he
lived, and expectation was greatly
excited ct his arrival. TO avoid the
crowds at the hotels ho had asked
two merchants, who were Of tho
purity, to engage him rooms OF the
hotel where they were to stop, and
in due time he arrived V It'll them.
The lady who kept the house, in
great excitement, was engaged in
looking out for her guest, who was
Of as much consequence as Presi-
dent, but she was not in the loast
aware that he had come. In the
meantime Tho tirod statesman had
thrown himself on lounge for the
purpose of reposc, and his two
friends stood near HIM The lady
hustled in, and seeing, as she sup
posed, q country lad who come in to-
sec the sights and hoar Stephens,
actually occupying the best place,
and his shoes also on the sofa, she
said, with great kindness but some