Public ledger. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1865-1893, 1880-06-16
Striking Incidents In General
GarfleId,s Life.
Cor. New York Herald


Indiana Cor. New York Herald.I
The general says that two reasons
were instrumental in causing him
finally TO abandon the canal. One
was his mother and the other was the
"ague cake" in his side. He had
worked but a short time when he be-
gan to feel the ague in his system, and
it finally assumed a very serious form.
His money fell into the water and
diving after it the thorough wetting
which followed increased his disease.
At last one especially heavy fall led
him to reason quite fully over the mat
ter. 1t was night, and in the dark
ness he grasped for something by
which to draw himself out of the
water. AS luck would have it he
CHANGED to reach the dry rope of the
boat. Hand over hand he grasped the
rope and finally drew himself up. He
thought of his mother and how
he had left her with the in
t%ention of going upon the lake and
how she still believed that. he was
there. The next days warm sun
dried his clothes, but he was sicker
than ever with the chills, and he de-
termined, upon reaching Cleveland,
to go and visit his mother, and lie off
long enough to get well. 1t was after
dark when he approached the home
Of the widow and orphan. Coming
quietly near he heard her voice in
prayer within. He bowed and list
ened. As the fervent prayer went on
he heard her pray for him. When
the voice ceased, he softly raised the
latch and entered. Her prayers were
answered, Not till after that tire
did he know that his going away had
crushed her. He was at once pros
trated with the "ague cake" as the
hardness of the left side is popularity
called. One of the old-school M.D.s
salivated him, and for several awful
months he lay on the bed with a
board so adjusted as to conduct the
flow of saliva from his mouth, while
the cake was dissolving under the in
fuence of calomel.
As the doctor said, nothing but the
i~ndissoluble constitution given him by
mis- father carried him through.
However it Jared with that obdurate
cake his passion for the sea survived,
and he intended to return to the canal.
The wise, sagacious love of the mother
trusted that, although he constantly
talked Of carrying out his old plans,
he would abandon them. Not for
years did he know the agony these
words cost her. She merely said in
her sweet, quiet way, James, you're
sick. If you return to the canal |
fear you will be taken down again.
have been thinking it over. 1t seems
to me you had better go to school this
spring, and her with a term in the
fall you may be able to teach In the
winter. If you can teach winters and
want to go on the canal or lake sum.
mers you will have employment the
year round"
Wise woman that she was, in his
broken condition it did not seem a
bad plan. While he revolved it she
went on: Your money is now all
gone, but your brother Thomas and |
will be able to raise $17 for you to
start to school on, and you can. per.
haps, get along after that is gone upon
your own resources"
He took the advice and the money.
the only fund contributed by others
to him either in fitting or passing
through college, and went to the
Geauga seminary at Chester.
In speaking of this longing for the
sea the general said, halt regretfully.
that even now at times the old feeling
the longing for the sea-came back,
and walking across the room he
turned with a flashing eye and said:
Il tell you | would rather now com.
mand a feet in a great nagal battle
than be anything else on this earth,
The sight OF a ship often fills me with
q strong fascination, and when upon
the water and my fellow landsmen
are in the agonies of seasickness. II
am as tranquil as when walking the
land in the serenest weather"
But the mother conquered. and
the young mar went to Chester semi
nary first, then to Hiram college. and
to Williams college. When a
thirst for knowledge was once engen-
dered in the youth, the mother stood
in no danger oil losing him. But dur
ing all those years of education there
were obstacles of great magnitude to
be overcome, poverty to be struggled
against and victories to be won.
Sheriff Stiles, Of Ashtabula county.
was one Of the generals pupils
this period and the future presi-
candidate boarded with the
sheriffs mother. Young Garfield had
but a single suit of clothes, and that
was Kentucky jeans. He had mo-
overcoat and no underclothing. Fl.
nally, near the close of the school. the
pantloons began to get exceedingly
thin,i and at last. while bending. one
knee tore half around, exposing the
bare skin. The chagrined pedagopne
pinned the rent garment to the best oil
his ability, and that night he express
ed his regret at his poverty and ina
bility to see his way out of the diem
ma.
Why, that is easy enough" said
good Mrs. Stiles " you 60 to bed and
one of the boys will bring down YOUR
pants and | will carefully darn the
hole SO it will be better than new,
You should not care about such small
matters as that. You will forget ali
about them when you get to be presi-