Northern tribune. [volume] (Cheboygan, Mich.) 1875-1885, 1881-10-22

work, then boy should have q mans
wages, and so far as the employer was
concerned it ought not to matter how
old the labOrer was. The argument was
so well put that it attracted my grand
fathers attention, and instead of turn
ing him away abruptly, as he intended
doing, he began questioning him as to
his early history, intentions, etc. Gar
field explained quite infinitely, ending
with the remark that he had Just quit
the canal and that he wanted to earn
some money with which to get an edu-
cation. The conversation ended in
contract that if the bog did the mans
icork. as the boy felt confident of doing,
then he would receive mans wages II
think 1t was 70 cents for harvest
hands).
The next morning he was assigned his
position, with four good mowers in field
OF heavy timothy grass. The four men
thought they would have little fun, so
placed the hoy" in the middle,
making, and two to crowd him
close at the rear and so turn their
swaths upon him and "bush him" as
they had planned. Swath after swath
was cut around the field, the "boy," rather
than tagging behind, crOwding little
on the two mowers In front. Things
were getting uncomfortable as the day
advanced for the four, and when the
noon horn was blown they were very
glad to get the hours rest. The "bOy"
said nothing, ate his dinner silently, and
when the incoming" was up, and the
men returned to the field, asked if they
would allow him to 'lead'in the afternoon,
as he was anxious to make his claim good
to Mr.. Taylor (my grandfather. The boys
hands were already blistered, though he
made no murmur, as he struck into the
grass as leader, or swath number, one.
Ii things were uncomfortable for the
four in the forenoon, they were getting
still more so as the afternoon wore along;
they wanted rest; but the hoy" kept at
work and finally put the four Ito bush"
while he kept steadily along with sure
but slower swing Of his scythe till the
hour for supper had come. After this
was over the four went soon to bed; the
"bOy" asked for an extra "tallOw dip"
as candles were called in these days..
"What for?" said my grandfather in
great surprise.
"Why, to study by, sir; hope you have
no objections. 1t is the only time have
for such work, as you, must very we'll
know" rre
''Why, certainly; but bless you, sir, you
have done two mems work to-day and
you ought to be in bed"
''Never mind me, Mr.. Taylor, l don't
feel very tired" was his modest reply.
And study he did that night till nearly
2 in the morning; and these evening
studies were kept nightly till the small
hours of the morning during the sum-
mer. 1t is needless to say that he re-
ceived "man'swages" and always found
hearty welcome at Worthy TaylOr's.
THE INAUGURAL KISS.
There is another subject closely con-
nected with his early history, on which
real depth of the meaning to that inaug-
ural kiss which he imprinted on the
withered brow of his dear old mother.
1t meant much more than the mass Of
people understand it to mean,-a mere
token, perhaps heartfelt for the moment,
of filial affection. 10 James A. Garfield
it meant much more than this. In it he
remembered the many sacrifices the
mother had made for him in earlier
years-yes verify the systematic starva-
tiOn she underwent-thath he and his
brother Thomas and his two sisters
might have their meals of plain corn
bread, or muSh, three times day.
The Garfield family were poor, very
poor; (the president did not have a pair
of shoes till he was four years Old) the
mothers hand was the one that split the
rails to fence the little log house out
from the utter wilderness, and so stay q
little the depredatiOns of the wolves; it |
was her hands too that got the wood to
keep them warm that first long and
dreary winter, and when the little sack
Of corn meal was gradually getting low.
saw that, before spring this would fail
unless saving could be made some |
where. She could not stint the children |
so she began to sacrifice herself, eating
but two meals day of her frugal fare
in order that James and the others
might not suffer hunger; finally she saw
that this would not do, that still further
sacrifice must be made and who but she
must make it? With the herOism that
Garfield himself seems to have inherited !
from her she, the little frail woman, re-
solved to do with only one meal a dag and
give her share of the other two meals to
her hungry children, in order that they
might not know the pangs the lack of
food would bring. This she did heroic
ally for several weeks, and this was
what Garfield remembered when he gave
his mother that kiss on that day when
he was at the acme of his career. She
made the sacrifice, to her belonged the
honor, all at least that he could give;
that he thought, and SO he turned
the attention of the world to his
mother on that eventful day as he did.
The act was simply in keeping with the
whOle-hearted man that he ever was.
T