Butler citizen. [volume] (Butler, Pa.) 1877-1922, 1883-04-25
SALMON P. CHASE.
Anecdote of his Ohio BoyhoOd by
one Who Knew Him.

timately in those days when he was
attending school at the old Cincinnati
College. The Renaissance that he
gave of the great statesman and jurist
were of great interest to me.
Chase's father died when he was on
ly twelve years old, and as his mother
was left in rather straitened circum-
stances, Bishop Chase, of Ohio, sent
for the young man, agreeing to look
after his education and provide for him
as if be were his own son.
The young man was from March un-
til the middle of June, 1920, in making
his way from New Hampshire to
Worthington, Ohio, and brought up at
the Bishops house in that place on the
evening before the Episcopal conven-
tion of that year was to assemble. He
had fallen in with some young men at
Cleveland who were going to Worth
ington on horseback to attend the con-
vention, and young Chase got the priv
ilege of walking along with them, and
when they became tired, occasionally
got few minutes in the saddle.
The Bishops house at Worthington
in those days resembled farm house
very much, and be really conducted q
farm and academy at the same time.
Bows from all over Ohio came to at
tend the Bishops school, and young
Salmon found himself Immediately in
| the midst of business. He was given
the chores to do, and in vacations was
expected to work on the farm.
The good Bishop labored diligently
on the farm, and while he was in his
way kind to his nephew, expected q
great deal of him. Salmon was one of
the most awkward boys ever seen in
Worthington. He was very near
sighted, had bad impediment in his
speech, and was stooped-shouldered,
shambling, and slouchy in his ap-
pearance and gate
Ny friend related that the future
Chief Justice was once passing along
the road in the out skirts of Worthing-
ton when a railsplitter stopped his
work, expecting TO speak with the
young man. The latter walked on in
an absent-minded way, with his face
on the ground.
"What fool is that ?" asked the man
of another student who came along
presently.
why, that is the Bishops nephew,
replied the young man.
This conversation coming to Sal
mons ears soon after, he was greatly
reused by it, and determined to i'm
prove his personal appearance to such
an extent that rail-spli.ter should not
make such remarks about him. He
entered into systematic training in
gymnastics, and one day while he was
thus exercising he felt something give
way in his side. 1t hurt him very
much at the time, and he tainted COM
pletely away. But when he was HIM
self again he was no longer stopped in
appearance Few people who have
seen the noble bust of the Governor
and Chief Justice of late years would
ever imagine that he was stoop-
shouldered and consumptive boy.
One day the Bishop went away on
one of his trips into the diocese, and
told Salmon to quit school early enough
in the afternoon to kill and dress pig.
The young man had never done any
thing of the kind but he knew he must
first catch the pig. He did this after
great trouble and finally killed it. But
now the question arose how he would
get the hair off. He had heard that
farmers usually scalded hogs, and so he
heated lot of water and souced the
pig in. But he held the pig in too
long, and the water was too hot, SO
that the hair was simply set and would
not come out at all. The future jurist
dug away with his fingers until they
were all raw but to no affect. He fin
ally bethought himself of the Bishops
razor, and getting it, shaved the pig
from nose to tail. Every one con-
graduated him on the good job he had
done, but when the Bishop next tried
to shave himself he come as near as
bishops ever do to using profane lam
guage.
Salmon went with the Bishop when
the latter accepted the presidency of
the Cincinnati College, moving with
him to that city His uncle finally
went to Europe and Salmon returned
to New Hampshire to see his mother.
After a short time at home, during
which he tried and failed in the at
tempt to teach o district school. he en-
tered Dartmouth College in the Junior
year, and after various experiments
graduated with honor.
While in the Cincinnati College,
some one set fire to the benches in one
of the rooms. The boys were all ques-
toned about it and all of the boys de-
MED any knowledge of the affair.
Finally Chase was reached
Salmon Chase, do you know who
set the seats on fire?
Il do
who was it?'
Il refuse to tell
The case was referred to the presi-
dent, when young Chase said Il did
not intend to insult the professor, but
do not desire to lie. know who did
the mischief, but will rather leave the
school than tell
He was reprimanded and excused.
While he was at Dartmouth student
of whom Chase was very fond was
suspended, as he thought, unjustly.
He told the faculty that if his friend
left he should 90 with him. The facul.
ty did not see fit to reconsider their
action and so the boys started away
together They had not proceeded far
when they were overtaken by a mes
senger sent by the faculty, who inform.
ed them that they were requested to
return. They thought it was now
their turn to punish the faculty, and go
they went on home and made visit,
returning in triumph week later.
On leaving college Mr.. Chase was
for a long time very hard up. lie
| 6palIu triad tn teach q pri " ate school in