Weekly Trinity journal., 1879-01-04
THE YOUTHFUL BEN. BUTLER

4xAG 1OO ALL " ~ OAN' - y L ~<-~ ~
General Buffers uncle assisted HIM t,
prepare for college at Dexter Academy
and TO go through Watervlle College
IL was a wild boy" General Butler said
"but not bad one, l did not lead in al
the schoolboy pranks, but was well AZ
with the foremost. 1t was an orthodox
Baptist institution, and the Rev. Mr..
Smith, the same, by the way, who wrote
MY Country, It's Of Thee was oul
chaplain. We had to get out Of bed al
five o'clock in the morning to attend
prayers, and were obliged to go to church
twice on Sunday, and lectures once a
week. 1t is true" the General said
!aughingly, "that l helped put a horse
in the chapel one night, and l learned
then how 10 make horse 90 when he
doesn't want to go, trick that served
me more than once in the army. After
the boys had tried in vain to lead or drive
the old horse, took him by the head
and backed him down the stairs. often
showed nay men how TO get horses on a
boat during the war by backing them
along q plank. Another OF our pranks at
college was breaking up an abolition
meeting. The English philanthropist
who died the other day, George Tbomp-
son, was to speak in the college town.
The students shared the common ceiling
against the good man. We thought he
was abusing Americans, and our patriot
ic pride rebelled at this. We did not
want to get into a scrape, SO aftqEsl ebat-
ing the matt er for several nights, we hit
upon the following plan: We went into
the country and paid an old farmer 50
cents to allow us to catch in his barn all
the swallows we wanted. We got doz
en- or SO, and the night Of the meeting
a number Of us. were present, distributed
iudiciously about the room. each boy
with swallow in his pocket. The church
was lighted by old fashioned chandeliers
holding each three or four whale-oil
lamps. At given signal, when the ex-
ercises were well under way, the swal-
lows were let loose, and in a twinkling
of an eye out wertthe lights. The birds,
of course, went stra light for the lights,
and the rush of air caused by their wings
put tAe lamp: out. We kissed a girl or
two, and they of course, shrel;ed. All
was commotion and confusion for a few
minutes. Then the moderator demanded
silence, said that some unaccountabie
accident had put the lights out, but the
audience must sit quiet and preserve or
der, and the lamps would soon be light
ed.
"Tha sexton hurried away for torch
there were no luciier, matches in those
dsys-and presently back he came with
lighted candle. As he camo inte the
church, holding it in front OF hi, face and
shielding 1t with one hand, ;he swallows.
of course, went for the light, and one OF
them struck the candle, knocking It out
of the old mans hand and into his face.
He tumbled back, gave yell of fright,
and gathering himself up took to his
heels, vewing there were spirits there
sure. The crowd, now frightened in
earnest, the students leading got out Of
the church in hurry, and the abolition
meeting was at an end.
1t is altogether probable that every great
man IN this country-even Mr.. Tilden
has at one time or other been in love
This is what was the matter with Ben.
Butler at very early period of his ca
reer, some time before he commenced
running for Governor Of Massachusetts,.
Being in love and engaged, the next de-
sire OF the young man was to get out, and
he resorted to a method which Others
hight have thought of, but which no
one but Butler would have been likely
TO put into execution. The young lady's
family were strongly on the side Of tenn
perance, every member being a crusader
against the flowing bowl on his or her
own hook. As the sGrest means of shock
ing this estimable family, young Butler
got drunk, dreadfully so. lie staggered
around town, displayed an anxiety to
Eight somebody, and finally got into the
calaboose for tumbling a dignifed and
highly respectable citizen inte the mud
and making a light Of him. While he
was sobering of with headache, he mad
the satisfaction of knowing that his hi
larious enterprise was attended with en-
tire success. The young lady was so
overcome with his disgraceful conduct
that she sent Butler note releasing him
from the engagement, and her father sent
along an intimaton that lie would get
kicked out If he ever came around the
house again. This was entirely to the
hiking of Butler; he paid his fine, and
made arrangements to fall in love again.
as most men do as soon as they a;e through
with one case, and sometimes sooner.