The Palatka daily news. (Palatka, Fla.) 1884-1888, 1886-11-03

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Extracts from Diary Written in
Washington, ID. c. in 1881
Mr.. CALHOUN.

Last night Mr.. Calhoun was giving US
some details of his childhood and on
ward course, which, Is they bring US
nearer a great man, are curious and in
teresting. We were speaking OF the
little pet of orr mess when ne remarked.
the smartness of children was no sign
of what they would be in after life. u
| believe" said he, ''that the temper of
persons mind undergOes a change after
twelve. l was an exceedingly silent and
grave child, so that | acquired the nick
name of Judge l was not as quick
in learning as one or two of my brothers:
my temper, without being very quick
was very strong when excited. 9Iy head
being unusually large, one OF the epithets
to veX me, was Swell head. When |
was about twelve years old. my brother
in-law, DIR. W., took me 20 his home in
Abbeville: he kept me with him after
the death of my sister was much alone,
and for the want Of something TO do fell
to reading. There happened to lie q
circulating library hard by. My eyes
fell upon the names OF Alexander and
Socrates. / was attracted by them be-
cause one of my schoOlm8tes, who had
reading mother, had told me wonderful
les about them. Once got TO work,
almost killed myself reading. In the
course of six weeks l read Rollins -
volumes-CharlesN Y, Charles MI Locke
on the Human Z understanding, and se--
eral other works. l had heard some
where of some one having read Lock at
fifteen, so / determined to 10 more and
| sad it at thirteen. My eyes became So
bad l could not bear the light, vet by
darkening the room ! persisted in read
ing. Ny mother hearing Of mv lament
able condition-that l Was skeleton.
that my ears were bloodlsss. and could
he seen through, like the poor, starved
sandhill lackeys, sent for me and pul me
TO the plough.
From that time until was eighteen.
| never thought Of a book. | regaiued
my health and, con trary to the habits of
my childhood. turned with avidity -
all outdoor sports. About that time a
companion, who was out squirrel shoot
ing with me, said my relations were dis
satisfied with my course, that ought 70
get an education and prepare fur some
thing in the world. At first | 5isre
garded what hn said, but by the time
reached home began II think better of
it. After consultation with my mother !
l set off the next day to Il forget TIE
place. On reaching there I was ad
Wis /, by way O. preparutILn. ) take |
private lessons on some OF to branches
fro II a tutor. He was an amazing good |
creature, and gave me a great Ieputa- |
ton. The truth was he knew but little, |
and l soon found that l had to teach !
him. therefore did not attempt arith- |
n etc + Jm him. but went into the COun- /
(. : TO review 1t by myself. Ali | knew /
about it was from an Irish aachor, 10 |
7 I IL =.
the day appo'l 1 for examination, | |
Joined a tolerably la~ge class. Some |
problem in ,tigonometry was given Us. 1
Upon e ting it ! tUrlel TO tie Profes- /
sor and said, Il have it. He asked me /
how. I answered, and he said it WAS
rigI-. As was . stranger, this ciTcum-
stance excited atten iyn. For my part, |
felt nothing but surprise, for | was |
sure that every fellow IN the class was |
my superior in knowledge, so scanty did |
| think mine. The next day the same /
thing occurred, and tho next problem |
was gwen of the kind in which each re
suit adduces another. | went on getting 7
three or four. BY this time my ambi- /
ton was fred to get out first. SO l said, |
81 have not got the result. but can give |
you the principle by which it IS obtained |
AS, thus and so on, by approximation" |
Several of the students thought | must |
be thoroughly acquainted with math- !
ematics, and that approximation" was 7
some profound term.
From that period until thirty, l read |
much more than i have since. Iasked 4
him if he ever read novels. "Shoo," /
said he, when at thirteen. when 1 had /
access to the circulating library, in sto- /
RES / picked out all the historical parts /
and skipT ID the mere narrative. Neither /.
was l fond of poetry. As l advanced IN /
years liked it better"
He talks enthusiastically OF Homer. /
He says he is still slow in acquiring
knowledge. until he gets at the princi- /
pie. When he has place to rest his |
foot on, then all is smooth. He said ,
Mr.. Burke expressed the feeling well, :
when he said there was in uneasiness /
about him until he could understand q |
subject