Clarksville weekly chronicle. (Clarksville, Tenn.) 1873-1890, 1886-05-08
Jay couId,s History as Told by Himself.

81 was born at Rocksbury, Delaware
county, in this state, ,aMay q, 1886. My
father was a small farmer, who kept
dairy of twenty COWS. | was the only
boy in the family; so helped my sister
in milking the COWS both morning and
night and drove them to and from the
pasture. AS was obliged to go bare
footed during the summer, and often
had my feet pricked by the thistles
about the fields and pastures, | conclu
ded | didn't like farming, and so | one
day asked my father to allow me to go
to aschool chat was ssituated about fifteen
miles distant from home. He replied
that as | WASH t worth much about the
farm he would give me my time. |
found blacksmith near the school who
would board me If | would write up
his books at night ! was then about II
years Of age. attended school for a
year, and then obtained clerkship in
a country store, where was obliged to
work from a. m. to 10 p. m. By this
time [ had acquired taste for mathe-
matics, especially surveying By getting
up in the morning at 3 O'Clock and
studying till I.obtained good knowl-
ekae of the latter branch, and at length
started out to find employment as a
surveyor.
81 made an engagement with man
who was making map of Ulster
county at salary of $40 month and
expenses. When he sent me out with
my instruments to survey portion OF
the country he gave me pass book and
told me to get trusted for my board at
the several places through which !
passed and he would pay the bills.
soon found that people were not will
ing to trust my employer. The second
day out l presented my pass book
to the man who had entertained
me, and told him to put down the
expense. He looked at me very
angrily, and then said L guess you
don't know your employer. He's failed
three times already, You've got money
and I'm going to have it, This fright
ened me, but managed to explain tc
him that | didn't have a cent, and in
proof of Amy statement / turned my
pockets wrong side cut. Convinced o
my honesty he said he would trust me
until / could pay the bill. l thanked
him for his consideration and left the
house. AS walked along the road
felt as if my heart would break with
grief. I could see nothing head bu
failurs and misery. In my despair
went into the woods and mad a gooC
cry. Then / got down on my knee
and prayed.
| Mr.. Gould's voice trembled and hi
eyes filled with tears as he said this
Senator Blair was deeply moved by tn,
recital. The effect upon the audienc,
was marked. For a moment not
sound was heard except the rumbling O
the teams over the pavements in thu
streets below.
"When l arose." continued Mr.
Gould, ~ had made up my mind to g
ahead. Late that afternoon, having ha,
= nothing to eat since morning, calle'
at a farm house and received som
bread and meat from the hands of
kind-hearted woman. Just as | wa
| leaving the yard her husband called m
back and asked me to fix a north an
) south line by which the time OF da
might be determined. | did so, an
8 received after paying for my lunch
. seven shilngs. 1t was the first none
| had earned since started out, and {
S course it gave me new courage and cor
. fidence in myself. The man for whor
: | was working at length failed. l prt
e posed to the other young men VIII
t were employed in the survey that W
J go ahead and complete the map OF U
: ster county. we did so, and when th
n work was done / sold out my intere
+ in the map for $500. Soon after mad
Y maps OF Delaware and Albany countie
C and in this way succeeded in accuml
y lating 5000.