The Democratic press. [volume] (Ravenna, O. [Ohio]) 1868-1901, 1883-05-31
Incidents N a ph,Icsophers Boybood,

Frof. Joseph Henry, one OF the most
eminent of American scientists. died
May l3. 1878. On the 10Th of April,
his memory was honored by the unyeil-
ing at Washington of magnificent
bronze statue, made by w. NJ Story,
and costing $4,000
Among the interesting "reminiscences
of his boyhood is the story of his first
pair of boots-a true story, often told
by himself in later years.
When he was boy, it was the univer-
sal custom to have boots made to order,
and his grandmother, with whom he was
living, indulgently allowed him to choose
the style for himself There was nc
great variety Of styles. Indeed, the
choice was limited to the question OF
round toes or square toes. Day aftor
day Joseph went to the cobhler's and
talked over the matter without coming
TO n decision, and this even after theil
manufacture was begun, until at last
the shoemaker, fairly out of patience,
took the decision into his own hands
and made q most remarkable pair OF
b0otS-one boot round toed, and the
other square toed.
Later in life Prof. Henry often came
vantage that he seldom if over had oc-
caSion to abandon them.
While Joseph was q schoolboy he ac-
qnired & taste for reading in this peculiar
way: One day he chased q pet rabbit
through an opening in the foundation
wall Of the village Westinghouse. While
crawling about among dirt and rubbish
/ Il gleaT OF light enticcd him through the
broken floor, and he found himself in a
room continuing the open bookcase OF
the town library. The title of one OF
the books struck his fancy and he took
it down. It was Brooks Fool of Quail
ity," and lie read, coming again and
again through the hole in the floor. un
til access by the door was finally granted
him. From this first book that he even
read with relish, he passed on ca
gerly to other works of fiction in that
library. 20
A few years, later, in way almost
equally accidental, his mind was turned
to IN entirely different class of reading.
Confined at home by q temporary i'll
ness, he took up book casually left on
the table by n boarder, and entitled
Lectures on Experimental philosophy,
Astronomy, and Chemistry, intended
chiefly for the Use Of Young Persons
BY 6. Gregory" 1t began with few
questions: You throw a stone, or shoot
an arrow into the air; why does it not
go forward in the line or direction that
you give it? d. j.. Why does flame
or smoke always mount upward, though
no forco is used to send them in that
direction? And why should not the
fame of & candle drop toward the floor
whenyou reverse it or hold it downward!
Again, you look into q clear
well of water and you see your own face
and figure, as if painted there. Why is
this? You are told it is done by the re
Election of light. But what is the re-
Election of light?''
The trilling incident of taking up this
! book may be said to have turned the
whole course OF this lads life.
After his death this book was found in
Professor Henry's library with the fol-
lowing entry upon the fly-leaf, written
in his own hand:
This book, although by no means q
profound work, has under Providence,
| exerted remarkable influence upon my
life. 1t accidentally fell into my hands
when was about sixteen years old, and
was the first work l ever read with at
tention. It opened to me a new world
of thought and enjoyment; invested
| things before almost unnoticed with the
highest interest; fixed my mind on the
study of nature, and caused me to re-
solve at the time of reading it that
would Immediately commence to devote
my life to the acquisition of knowledge -
Many young men quit school at six
teen years of age. They should take q
lesson from Joseph Henry, and regard
education as not completed, but just be-
gun Scientific Ansericam.