Iron County register. [volume] (Ironton, Iron County, Mo.) 1867-1965, 1885-06-25
TRUTHFUL WILLIAM.
He Visits His Birth place in Maine. '.Where
He First Met His Parents


| He First Met His Parents"
Last week s.ted my birthplace in
the State of Maine. / waited thirty
years for the public to visit it, and as
there didn't seem to be much of a rush
this spring, | thought l would 60 and
visit it myself. l was telling a friend
the other day that the public did not
seem to manifest the interest in my
birthplace that [ thought it ought to,
| and he said | ought not to mind that.
| Just wait" said he, ''till the people
| of the United States have an opportu-
| nifty to visit your tomb, and you will
be surprised to see how they will run
excursion trains up there to Moosehead
Lake, or wherever you plant yourself
1t will be perfect picnic: Your hold
on the American people, William, is
wonderful. but your death would seem
to assure it, and kind of crystalline the
affection now existing, but still in a
nebulous and gummy state.'
A man ought not to criticise his
birthplace, l presume; and yet, if
were to do it all over again. / do not
know whether l would select that
particular spot Or not. Sometimes
think l would not. And yet what
| memories cluster about that old house !!
| There was the place where I first met
my parents. 1t was at that time that
| an acquaintance sprang up which has
| ripened in later years into mutual
| respect and esteem. 1t was there that
| what m ght be termed a casual meeting
| took place, that has, under the alchemy
| of resistless years, turned to golden
links, forming pleasant but power
full bond of union between my parents
and myself. For that reason, | hope
that l may be spared to my parents tor
many years to come.
| Many old memories cluster about
| that old home, as I have said There
is, also, other old bric-a- brac which has
accumulated since [ was born there. [
took small stone from the front yard
as kind of 'memento'' of the occa-
sion and the place [ do not think it
has been detected yet. There was an
other stone in the yard. so it may be
weeks before any one finds out that I
took one of them.
How humble the home, and yet what
| lesson it should teach the BOYS of
America! Here, amid the barren and
inhospitable waste of rocks and cold,
| the last place in the world great man
would select to be born in, began the
life of one who. by his own una ded
effort, in after years rose to the proud
| height of Postmaster at Laramie City,
| Wy. T., and with an estimate of the
| future that seemed almost prophetic,
resigned before he could be charac-
| terized as an offensive partisan.
Here on the banks of the raging Pis-
cata1uis. where winter fingers in the
lap of spring till it occasions a good
deal of talk, there began a career
which has been the wonder and admit
ration of every vigilance committee
west of the turbulant Missouri.
There on that spot, with no inheri-
lance but a predispos, ton to prema-
ture badness and a bitter hatred of
rum; with no personal property but
began a life history which has never
ceased to be warning to people who
sell groceries on credit.
1t should teach the youth of this
young land what glorious possibilities
may lie concealed in the rough and
tough bosom of the reluctant present.
1t shows how steady perseverance and
a good appetite will always win in the
end. 1t teaches us that wealth is not
indispensable, and that if we live as we
should, draw out of politics at the
proper time. and die few DAYS before
the public absolutely demand it. the
matter of our birthplace will not be
considered.
Still, my birthplace is all right as
birthplace. 1t was good. quiet place
in which to be born. All the old neigh
bors said that Shirley was very quiet
place up to the time was born there,
and when l took my parents by the
hand and gently led them away in the
spring of '53, saying. Parents. this is
no place for u.s. it again became
quiet.
1t is the only birthplace I have. how
ever, and hope that all the readers of
the Globe will feel perfectly free to go
there any time and visit it. and carry
their dinner as / did. Extravagant
cordiality and OVERLOOKING hospitality
have always kept my birthplace back.
Bill Nye. in Boston Globe.