Stephens City star. (Stephens City, Va.) 1881-1883, 1883-06-23
ARTHUR AS A POET.
The President as a Schoolmaster - An
Early POeficni ETusion-IiOw He En-
cOurnEod q DIfHdent Youth.

couragod a DIfndent Youth.
A pleasant "reminiscences of Presi-
dent Arthur's college days is told by
DR.. Asa G.. Stillman, of Abba, sub
urb of Troy. In the little village Of |
North Pownal, VT, thirty-one years
ago, Chester A. Arthur, then stu
dent of Williams college, taught school
during vacation at the college to earn
money to help defray the expenses of
his education. Among the country
lads who were placed under the in
struction of the struggling student was
Stillman, then boy Of eight sum-
mers. 1t appears that the future presi-
dent Of the United States was unusual
ly strict in the rules governing his
rural school, and vigorously insisted
that each of the young ideas in his
charge should speak piece every ex-
animation day. Young Stillman lacked
the courage to declaim in the presence
of the visitors who called to note the
progress Of the pupils. This want of
bravery served as a sufficient excuse
for exemption until Mr.. Arthur re-
solved that it was no longer available,
and insisted that Stillman should spout
with the rest of the boys. Stillman
had been led to believe that the pieces
the other lads had recited were all
original, and complained that he was
unable to compose anything that
would prove acceptable. The day be-
fore the examinairsj, arrived, and all
the scholars excepting Stillman were
prepared for burst of eloquence on
the morrow. Stillman was requested
to remain after the school had been
dismissed, and visions of boy receiv-
ing the benefit of a birch rod, welded
by our chief magistrate, fitted through
his mind. The scholars had all de-
parted, when Mr.. Arthur, addressing
the quaking Stillman, said smilingly:
"Don't you think you can speak a
piece tomorrow"
II haven't got one," was the answer.
"Win you learn one if I write it
down for you?"
"Td try, but I can't read writing
well enough" was the reply of the
boy, anxious to be excused.
''Thenpn print it ear yeu," said the
persistent tutor. "Will you learn it if
do?"
'I1l do my best" sighed the juve-
nile, corpered at last.
Mr.. Arthur thereupon printed in
letters large and distinct the following
"poetic gem" The original manuscript
has been preserved by DR.. Stillman
since the day President Arthur printed
the verses in that little Vermont school
house:
Pray, how shall /, little lad,
In speaking nuke figure;
You arc but jesting, I'm afraid,
Do wait till get bigger.
But since you wish to hear my part,
And urge me to begin it,
I'll strive for praise with all my art,
Though small my chance to win it.
I'll tell tale, how Farmer John
A little roam colt bred, sir,
And every night and every morn,
| ITa otavr ao.ax. lad eir
Said Neighbor Joe to Farmer John,
'You surely are dolt, sir,
To spend such daily care upon
A little useless colt, sir"
Tho farmer answered wondering Joe,
II bring my little colt up
Not for the good he now can do,
| But may do when he's grown up"
The moral you may plainly see,
To keep the tale from spoiling,
The little colt you think is me,
know it by your smiling.
now entreat you to excuse,
My lisping and my stammers, views,
And since you've learned my parents
I'll hnmbly make my manners.
When Asa Stillman made "his man
ners" after relieving himself of tht
above, he was met with the oongratu
lations of his teacher, his parents and
the visitors. President Arthur fire.
quently refers to this maiden effort in
letters to the piysloian, whose frs'
son he named Chester Arthur Still
man. This boy, at a Sunday-schoo
gathering, a few evenings ago, re
cited the simple lines, he having ther
arrived at precisely the same age al
his father W as when the latter deliver
ed them.-Chacago Tribune.