The commonwealth. (Scotland Neck, N.C.) 1882-1884, 1883-06-14

no his vacations III selling sewing
nachinesa4Hc was so good a sales
mar that his percentages on the ma
,hlnes he sold were sufficient to pay
all Of his college expenses. If, to-
ward the end of term, his money
had been all expended, he would get
leave Of absence for g week. and set
0 + with his sample" for brief cam
paiyn among the farmers wives.
Another Of my classmates went
every summer into the hay field. The
farmers usually paid him two dollars
a day for his services, and he would
come back to college in September
as brown as Moor. 49,. ....., !
Others taught sc hool during the
winter vacations, which at that col
lege were six weeks in length; and
one Or two students acted as tutors
for boys in wealthy families, at
stated hours during term time.
Some of these needy young men
were very economical in clothing.
One of them made the sum of fifty
dollars suffice for the amount paid
for his clothes for three years. 1t is
hardly necessary to say that he did
not go very much ''into society,",
which is not an injury to a student.
Balls and attendance upon young
ladies are not conducive to close ap.
plicat;on and studious habits.
One of the sternest methods of
self help which l remember among
my student acquaintances was that
practised by a Freshman, whom his
classmates called '.Calhound." from
his INSTRUMENTATION in a class de-
bate of the name of the celebrated
Southern statesman.
During the winter term "Calhound"
would disappear for two or three
hours. Immediately after morning
recitation, and again after prayers
at four o'clock in the afternoon.
For long time his classmates did
not know where he went. Or what he
tild but near the close of the term it
was discovered that he had taken
contract to cut wood, by the cord. for
the use of locomotives, at a railroad
station a mile and half away. He
received a dollar Cord and cut
about a cord per day, sandi at the
same time he kept up in his studies
with his class. .yE.f ....-.r
He completed his contract, and cut
fifty cords of wood during the term,
for which he received fifty dollars.
While at work with his axe, he would
have his Latin or his algebra prop
ped open on a stump hard by, and
after hard bout at . thick log, he
would sit down and master pass
age. or an example. jotting the trans
lation, or the solution, on large,
white chip which his we'll applied
axe had thrown out of scarf.
And | am glad to say "Calhound'
took very good rank that term in his
class and at the end of it he had be-.
come. quite a giant ip muscle. and
was a pictureAof manly health. !" e. -
Ia strong contrast with "Calhound'
was one Of his classmates whom |
will call Estabrook. whose guardian
was said to allow him five thousand
dollars year. This young fellow
was cf"sgood, physique and had
naturally a vigorous con stitution.
but, during that whole term, he was
a victims ofS dyspepsia. Eindueed by
over-indulgences Of various kinds. 1t
would have been an incalculable
benefit to him. TOO, had been COM
q
I pelTed to encounter self denial, and
to ''cut wood for the railroad.'
Less. laborious., but more profitable
fwas the device Of a Junior. whom
the others jocosely nicknamet
"Aunty," on account of the way ir
which he earned his money.
This young man borrowed a knit
ting machine-then anew invention
E-of'a ladysfrnend, and with it kni
wooden socks for a gentlemmen'
furnishing no .se in a neighborin!
city. He would work and study a
THE same time fromRa propped u
4 book. !essss
He could make eight or ten pair
FOE socks ina day, for which hes re
n ceivfd fifteen cehts per pair; an
u for the last two years he pal
fhis collcae exp lenses almost who'll
by this 1igh. work. 49, ----
IF Tie boys were much inclined
ridicule him, however, not SO lnuc
on account Of bis working, as fro
the effeminate character Of the wof
sc abound on the other han
e was rather respected4than sotherwis
for his Woof ,ohopping, one rease
beins. perhapss that the muscle az