The Colfax chronicle. [volume] (Colfax, Grant Parish, La.) 1877-1981, 1882-05-20
The Youth Of Judge Black.


Jerry Black, as he was Familiarity
Known even at an early age. did not
nave the best educational opportunities
| lie received his first mind-training in
HE schools about his own home. but he
completed his studies in a private acad-
smy in Fayette County. He laid, how
ever, in school-houses, only meager
foundation for the great store of knowl-
edge he has accumulated. He studied
the classics and read great authors by
she Pickering light of the evening fire or
in the gray of the morning, and then
spent the hours of toll recalling and re-
peating what he had read. During the
eighteen months which he spent upon
the farm after leaving school, and prior
to beginning the study of law. he trans
lated into English verse nearly all the
classics. His marvellous power for re-
tanning what he read was thus early
gained. From the day he left school he
applied himself more assiduously to the
accumulation of practical knowledge
than while under teachers direction,
and great duties thickest he always gave
a few hours each day TO reading current
literature. He is, therefore, n greater
master of information he can use and
make useful to Others than almost any
other man in America
His early life at school and on the
farm was full of hardships. His ag-
gressive nature and the difference be-
tween his tastes and ambitions and
those of the boys with whom he was
surrounded often brought him conflicts,
and the severe battle of life began early
and has never ceased. His form and
features seem to have been nodded to
express only the great force of his ma
ture. and therefore both his mind and
body were almost constant menace to
his associates. A good story is told of
him, which nicely illustrates this fact.
When about fourteen years old he was
attending school at Somerset during
hotel kept by Captain Webster, Rev
dictionary soldier, and then, conse-
quently, man of great importance
His wife took a great fancy to, and con-
sequently solid motherly interest in
the boy. Sitting together one winters
evening, she was knitting industriously
and Black was studying his lessons up
on the opposite side of the spacious
fireplace. He finally looked up from
his book to find that she had stopped
knitting and was gazing at him intent
ly, with an earnest look of inquiry upon
her countenance. Both looked each
other square in the face for moment,
when she drew the needle from her
work, and thrusting it back again with
a sort of dissatisfied air, said rather re-
gretfully:
Jerry, you may some day be a very
good and very smart man. l hope
you will. But, bless my soul, boy, you
will never be handsome
The good, honest housewives predic-
tons were verified, for good looks have
never been counted as one of Judge
Black attractions. The ungainly boy,
in whose face the landlady tried to flnd
one handsome line, grew to be man of
powerful frame, but neither form nor
feature gave relenting sign of attract
iveness. His personal appearance adj
vertised his intellectual and physical
force only.
The good people among whom he
was reared, who looked upon books
and learning as luxury, and patient,
contented industry as the greatest of
virtues, did not regard young Blacks
thirst for knowledge with favor. They
thought he spent time over his books
that had better be spent at toll. His
boyhood companions echoed the talk of
the elder folks about his aspirations,
and one incident which he often tells
serves to show the drift of thought about
Jerry Black and his future in the place
where he was reared.
He was one day riding along the
country road, toward a neighbor' house,
with a companion year or more older
than himself. He had just returned
from the winters school at Somerset,
and was in the coming fall to realize his
hearts desire-to be sent away to an
institution where there were greater op-
portunities for learning the higher
branches of an English education than
about home.
al am going away to school for two
years." said young Black to his COM
panion, as they rode along. The boy
looked at him in establishment, for he
had always held the speaker to be prod
ICY, and was wont to say, when the
country lads asked information about
anything:
Ask Jerry Black; he knows every
thing
why, n'tyou learnt through yetP''
he inquired when he recovered from his
establishment that Black was going to
waste more time over books.
Why no, I've hardly begun" was
the reply.
The boy cast sort of Multiplying
glance at Black and said: Jerry, If
you don't stop this book nonsense soon
you II be lawyer yet "-Philadelphia
Press.