The Superior times. [volume] (Superior, Wis.) 1870-1912, 1886-02-13
A PRIyTING-HOUsE ORACLE.
A Noted Boston Character Familiar To
Printer and Author Alike.

| OfnceS, IN her libraries, q man whose
aspect was happy yet forlorn, who
was communicative when approached,
| silent when let alone, independent and
generous when lucid, a supplicant
when in and recovering from his cups,
a soldier in the war, a subject for an
artists brush under ali circumstances,
whether in intelligent converse or in
| stupid inebriation; but thereis no rec
ord that his counterfeit presentment
was ever made. A scholar in his way,
a thorough absorbent of all he had
seen ard read, and equally liberal IN
imparting from his store OF literary
lore, his opinion was always sought
by his con or-reres-authors, proof-read
ers, printers; even publishers, in his
lucid intervals, craved his opinion OF a
newly submitted manuscript. 1t was
faithfully read and an intelligent judg
ment rendered, recompense being in
every instance gracefully declined. He
was only too glad to bethe first to OBJ
tain knowledge of new work-prose
poetry or play. Often his verdict was
final, and he never asked the name OF
the author. Hedied a lowly death, yet
never, even in his vagrancy, did he be-
IO1lC tilC bNlsJ VI iLptilulS Ill ms bSNI-
ters he carried himself in speech as
man of characterize profanity; re
Spouse to some coarse remark general
ly being quotation from the recog
nized classics that dispelled any sus-
picion of a contaminated intellect.
In every thing or theory he explored
the desire for exact knowledge was up
permost in his mind. No more fre-
quent habitue OF the Boston Public
Library could be named. The books
he perused there were OF the choicest.
His abiding place for years was the
nearest to the library he could possibly
select. He was often asked by one
who always befriended him-possibly
one who had been benefited by his
erudition-''Why do you not write
your experiences OF forty years as a
drunkard? 1t would make you rich"
Perhaps | shall II | ever get time;
but ] am too busy. | am reading
Stuart Mill just now-at intervals, "
and he gave a significant laugh. Very
few printing offices, book or news
paper, in Boston. Cambridge or An
dover, are without a rich, and at times
profitable experience OF the subject OF
this brief sketch.
Bernard Smith was native OF New
York city and came to Boston with
his parents at 2 tender age. His fath
er was printer, and soon after COM
ing here established periodical
styled 1.-The Jesuit" the leading arti-
cles being contributed by Bishops
Cheverus and Fenwick, and other
Catholic cler2Sme and educated lay
TT,,I,,. +h,ea 1pHnannaS Oft or,
leaving school, young Bernard grew
up in his fathers composing room,
and, as he was intended for the priest
| hood, he studied more or less with
! that end in view-that is, on the part
OF his parents. But while the youths
mind was receptive, it had a working
Of its own. Profting by the religious
and historical knowledge he &C
| quired by close reading on priestly
recommendation; he also thought for
himself, and as he developed to man
hood, gradually became skeptlcal,
| and, finally, at maturity, confirmed
infidel. But even then he did not
cease to read everything OF modern
writing that hecould lay his hands up
| on. He was among the earliest Abo-
| litionists, an advocate Of personal
| liberty in everything though his mod
esty kept his oft-expressed views from
publication. No man was more capa-
| BILE of writing ont developed thoughts
than he After the collapse of "The
! Jesuit" and his fathers death, being a
| thorough printer, technical as well as
| theoretical, a case IN every office at
| the literary centers was his on de-
| mand He was eccentric IN many
ways-careless of his dress and person
generally, and he acquired a love for
| spirituous liquors IN early manhood
| that he never overcame to his death
| at the age OF nearly 7Oyears. He had
no other vice; but this one IN his lat
er DAYS sent him, at his own request,
to the retreat of the pauper, from
which he emerged time and again in
| good condition to renew the battle OF
| life. To the end the best composing
rooms were open to him, his last en-
gagement being made month ago IN
the State Printing Office, but he did
not live to carry 1t into effect. he re-
manned a bachelor.
He enlisted in the Forty-frst Ma
sachusetts Infantry under Col. Thomas
Chickering for service during the war,
though it would seem that under army
rules he was then too aged for the
| duty. While in Louisiana the regi-
ment was changed from infantry to
cavalry (the Third) but Smith, after
a few days' drill to horse, was put on
hospital or some other non-active
duty perhaps on account OF habitual
unsteadiness. But he had the pleasant
way of accounting for his deposition
By explaining, Perhaps they didn't
like my style Of riding"
Upon the expiration OF his term OF
enlistment ne returned north and re-
| sumed his position at the case. He
had profited by his war experience
only in the to him apparent facts, as
he expressed them, that ''POltlclans
were knaves, the people fools, and the
whole idea of government, except on
aboriginal principles-the battle to
the strongest-was false" He kept
on in his old way, often acting as UNI
pire between writer and proof-reader,
proprietor and printer, in their many
disputes. All had confidence in his
Judgment, and when he was perplexed
himself he had some pat remark to
make that threw both disputants of
their base, and controversy was at an
end. Cornelius c. FELTON,, while presi-
dent OF Harvard College, has been
known to appeal from the reader oi
his printing Office to Bernard Smith
and his judgment was followed on the
part of both appellants. And &C
through long life he has gone, seek
er for knowledge and a dispens
er OF the results OF his &C
quirements to wide range o
needy applicants-from a college pres
ident to the printers apprentice, II
, which latter category the writer wai
!, classed. On his deathbed he received
absolution from the Jesuit fathers
but it is question among many wht
knew him if he did not accept the sa
: cred Office after counseling with him
!, self that at least it would do no harm
: IL these days OF hydrophobia, /
] 1 L,