Keowee courier. [volume] (Pickens Court House, S.C.) 1849-current, 1879-08-07

tai altef y louB Ile ucVOteu TO STUDY.
Attention was first called to John King
some few weeks ago by gift made by him
to the public library Of his own city. By
dint of great exertions, boarding up small
sums and watching books.alls for literary
bargains Of ell kinds tho poor newsboy had
appumulated library containing about
$500 volumes These books woro to be
the consolation of his old agc. In spite of
constant application during leisure hours,
they accumulated on hia hands faster than
he could read them, for he was never able
to reaist the opportunity of purchasing
new "bargaip' if the name of tho author
justified it. lie packed thom oil together
in boxes, (which hp kept in tho old rool-
cry where ho lived, aud here spent hia eve--
nings, happy 10 the consciousness that his
treasures were near him, and hoping fually
to arrive mt tho time when he would be able
to do nothing but read Suddenly the
thought was suggested to him by tho burn
ing of large building in Cincinnati, that
his books might fall prey to fire, aud his
resolution was at once taken to place them
in the safe keeping of tho Public Library.
Kings magnificent gift was no sooner an
accomplished fact than he became famous.
Even in New York desire was
felt to know something of the history of
tho literary uowsboy and request sent to
the Cincinnati Commercial by prominent
citizen that something might be learned in
regard to him. That journal fulfilled the
proposed task with promptitude, and it is
! from the interesting article whioh appeared
in its columns that wo aro able 10 tell tho
story of John Kings life.
The poor newsboy was originally farmer
lad, and but for an accident, bringing with
it most lamontablo results, might now bc
tillcr of the soil in Cass County, Michigan,
where his fathers family still reside. At
tho ago of seventeen a kick on tho loft
thigh crippled him for lifc For three
years he hobbled around on crutchcs when
he was attacked by rheumatism, md his
limbs SO drawn up that he could get around
only by crawling on his hands aud knees.
Ono day, while crawling about the room,
ho struck his right knee against sharp
object, which, with tho help of bundcr-
ing surgical operation, stiftencd the limb
| for ifa. Both logs were now useless, ano
for five years the poor boy was bedrddcn.
1t was during this time that his passion for
reading wos developed, but unfortunately
there we're but few books in tho neighbor.
hood. What thoro wore he greodily de-
vourcd, and mentally resolved that if it
should ever be in his powor he would
have big library of choice books, all his
| own.
1t was not until lie was twenty five years
old that King could get off his bel; and
then for three years he hobbled about the
house, but could do no work. Finally he
went to Detroit, and then in tho summcr
| &c 1ORG - H;no;nnok; al 4
q cripple for life in both legs. a situation
was obtained in tobacco factory, bAt
hardly fortnight had elapsed before he
was taken down with the smallpox, which
kept him in the pest house for six months.
He states that during this period his cou
rage dropped, and he CARED very little, if
lifo was to be 90 hard, to longer live. After
leaving the penthouse, he went back to
the factory to work, and began li:ing in
the little, roughly furnished room in tho
building at the corner Of Third and Syca-
more streets, which is still his home. Tho
work he had in tho tobacco factory was
such as is commonly done by children, and
three dollars weok was all he could make
by the greatest industry. It was with
difficulty that life could be sustained in that
time of high prices on SO small euIn, and
Kings necessities soon drove him TO look
for othor when he became newsboy.
In this new. vocation life became castor
to tho poor cripple The work was lighter
and more rcmuueratiye. For ten years he
sold newspapers in the streets of Cincinnati,
buying books, md laying up little money
besides. During this time his oven, quiet
life suffered but one interruption, which
was of most discouragipg nature. A
blind man, who was broom maker, pre-
vailed upon him to go to Sabna, Clinton
County, Ohio, and with his savings, which
then amounted to $50, buy broom machine
which lie claimed they could operate togeth.
er with handsome profit to both. This
was done; bnt in short timo the firm
failed, $3.50 in debt. King thcn camc
back to Cincinnati, and in timo sent back
to Sabina the full amount of tho claims
there existing against himself and tho
blind man. His earnings wore about ono
dollar day, and up to the timo of COM
mercial disaster ia Cincinnati things went
along quite smoothly. BY this failure,
however, 5000 was lost, over and above
what he is likely to get back.
When King presented his collection of
books to tho Cincinnati Library ho reserved
for his own reading about hundred volumes
including works on scionco, philosophy, and
religion, which shows tho thoroughly culti-
vatcd nature Of his mind Those that havo
had tho handling Of the donation say thst
the collection has bcon made with care and
Judgment, and that it 10 much moro yalua-
bio than private library Of tho samo num-