Reporter and farmer. [volume] (Webster, Day County, Dakota [S.D.]) 188?-1946, 1886-07-08
stephen A. Douglas Did His Best.

The young man "who does the best
his circumstances allows, makes even
that stepping stone to success.
When poverty Obliged Stephen A.
Douglas, boy OF fifteen years, to give
up all hope of entering college, he in
dentured himself as an apprentice to
cabinet-maKer. For two years he
worked at his trade with such indus
try as to become first-rate cabinet
maker. A feeble body and poor health
forced him out of the shop. When he
discovered that he could not become
a mechanic, he determined to study
law. He began course of classical
studies at an academy, ard carried it
on with the application which enabled
him within four years to master near
ly an entire collegiate course. During
that time he also persistently followed
a course of law studies, under the in
struction of an able lawyer.
At twenty years of age, he left the
academy, and the law Office, to seek
his fortune in that vaguely defined re-
gion Their known as 1.-THE West" He
wandered through Cleveland, Cincin-
natl. Louisville and st. Louis, seeking
in VAN for some ''opening" through
which he might pass to self-support.
In his pilgrimage he arrived at Jack
sonville, H., with thirty-seven cents
in his pocket, and he himself unknown
to any person in the town. He sought
employment as law clerk. Offering
his service for his board and lodging.
No lawyer wanted him. He sold his
school-books to pay for bread and
bed, and walked to Winchester on q
cold December day.
The morning after his arrival, he left
his lodgings to find employment. As
he approached the public square, he
saw crowd, and joined it. An Ad-
ministrator, about to sell by auction
chant, was halted by hewant offs
man competent to keep arecord ofthe
sales, and to make out the bills OF
purchasers.
No person in the crowd, though sew
eral OF them had been asked, was will
ing to undertake the duty. The ad-
ministrator was embarrassed, and the
would be buyers impatient.
'aP'raps this ere stranger" said a
man, pointing to young Douglas,
would do the job. He looks as If he
could read, write, and cipher"
The administrator pressed him to
serve, and rendered him the liberal
salary of two dollars day. He con-
sented; the auction lasted three days,
and the temporary clerk had six dol
lars in his pocket, no mean sum for a
man whose cash amounted to only
thirty-seven cents. But he had gain
ed more than the money. The
promptDess with which he discharged
his duties won for him the admiration
of buyers, administrator and auction
eer.
1t was in the days when President
Jackson was fighting the United States
Bank, and party feelings were at fever
heat. Young Douglas was partisan
OF Gen. Jackson's administration
At intervals during the sale, and in
the evenings, he joined in the political
conversations which took place. The
ability and the good nature he show
ed in defending the President caused
the good old farmers to take him to
their hearts. 1t was discovered that
he was poor. and wished to open a
school. In q few days his new friends
provided him with forty pupils, each
of whom was to pay three dollars per
quarter.
While teaching school, he devoted
his evenings to studying the statutes
of Illinois. On Saturday afternoons
he acted as counsel before the Justice
court. At the end of three months he
abandoned his school, and opened a
law Office. The money he had receiv-
ed for teaching, together with his fees
for legal services, justified him in APP
plying to the Supreme Court for a IL
cense to practice law.
In seven years from the date of his
application he occupied a seat upon
the Supreme Court bench, and in ten
years he went back to the East as O.
member of Congress. His subsequene
career as United States Senator, a
leader OF the Democratic party, and a
Presidential candidate, is well known.
Doubtless, it is spotted with errors
and faults, for he was but man; but
it illustrates that honor and fame
come to him who instead of re,,ining
at his situation, uses it as a fulcrum.