The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1888-01-14
CLEYELAND'S B0YH00D.
COMMISSIONERS OF HIS EARLY
LIFE AT CLINTON.

LIFE AL CGlNIOn.
His First Appearance in Soclety-he
Attends a Presidents Reception
How Mr.. Cleveland Looked and
Acted When Boy-The Cleveland
Family.
From, the Washington star.
ives. y said Assistant Postmaster of the
Senate Kellogg to areporter, II did promise
70 tell you about Growers boyhood, and
don't know as we shall find a better time
than the present. This was said while the
postmaster stood wondering why so many
,,aonle crowd and hustle each other New
Years day to try to get into the White
House to have faint glimpse of, perhapsa
bandshake from, the President. 81 was
horn and brought up at Clinton, N. ""
continued Mr. Kellogg. where the Cleve-
land family lived, after leaving Fayette-
nile OnondagO county, and previous to
going to Holland Patent. 1t is, or was at
INIT time, thirty-five years ago, one
of the pleasantest places for home
Of such a family as that of the
Clevelands Tho seat Of Hamilton
College, the Alma Mater OF Senator Payne,
Cen Hawlev, Rev. DR.. Bartlett, Judge
Schofield. and many others whom Washing
Ton knows and appreciates, and where the
elder son was then obtaining his collegiate
education. II was also the seat of several
summaries for girls and an academy for
bows The college and portion OF the pre-
naratOry schools were under the charge of
the denomination to which Rev. Mr.. Cleve-
land was attached. The air of education
and religion permeated the little village.
MANY families had, like that of Mr.. Cleve-
lands. made Clinton home on account of
its educational advantages, and the spirit of
foreign missions was so strong that many of
the Young ladies who grew UP there became,
as did the elder sister of the President, wives
of foreign missionaries, going forth to spread
gospel truth by precept and rectice, to the
uttermost parts of the earth No father or
mother in Clinton ever refused consent to
daughter who desired to marry one destined
for the foreign missionary work.
A PLEASANT SPOT.
"Tt was a pleasant little village of scarce
" a thousand inhabitants, lying on both
sides of the Oriskeny, and surrounded by
scenery as varied and beautiful as New
York can boast, Bnt its chief beauty was
the high character of its citizens, and its
greatest pleasure was the society and ac-
Guaintance of the hundreds Of boys and girls
who collected there from year to year to
attend the schools.
was my home at the time the Clevelands
lived there, early in the fifties. They lived
on Utica street, three doors from the corner
of Mulberry Ny fathers house was at the
other end of Mulberry street, about sixty
rods from the residence Of the Clevelands.
Ny father was also a minister of the Pres
byteran church, and our families were
brought into intimate relations
from their association in the same
oh. -,
sympathy in their views, their sentiments
and their hopes. A large family of chill
dren-some eight or nine-were in each
household, and our ages were about the
same as those of the Cleveland children.
Nv oldest sister went away to a foreign
field about the same time that Anna Glove
land married Mr.. Hastings and went to
Ceylon. My sister, her husband and all her
children, save one, are in their graves, which
are scattered from Smyrna to Chicago,
while the family of Mr.. and Mrs Hastings
have been wonderfully spared when we
consider the rate of death among foreign
missionaries. All this is preliminary to
what have to say about Grover. He was
nearest my age-only one year younger
and during the short time we were both in
Clinton were considerably together.
GROVER AS A BOY
HE was at Is a large, broad-shouldered
boy, who had then his growth; that is, was
as tall as he is now, but was thin. He made
few intimates, perhaps none, and as a boy
he never made any enemies. have no in
formation as to how he mastered his studies
at the academy, as | was not in school with
him, but he was not known as either the
brightest or among the dullest He had
hardly, at that time, acquired the studious,
persistent habit he now has, or he would
very likely have continued his studies, and
though his fathers death soon
after this might have prevented him
from going IT,. ough college, as his brother
DID, 1t was not the cause of his abandoning
his preparatory studies for, believe, Mr..
Cleveand'S death occurred a year or two
after Grover left the academy In all prob
ability he felt though do not think he ever
said so to me, that his father could not well
stand the expense of giving him college
education, with five or six younger children
to be educated and cared for. AS he had
no Intention of following his fathers call
ing, he preferred to give up going to college
rather than to burden and then disappoint
his parents.
THE PRESIDENTS MOTHER.
Mrs Cleveland was a most happy com
blnation for minister's wife. | seem to
remember her appearance much better than
l do that of Mr.. Cleveland. She was of
medium height and size, with pleasant
benevolent lace, and always interested in
her family and church matters. | believe
In her heart she would rather have seen her
son In the ministry than in the White
House, | do not know how long she sur
ylved her husband, for l lost trace of the
family after they left Clinton As boy
Grover was rather stubborn in his views
out not contentious, or much disposed to
press his opinions upon others. His dis
position was equitable, and his temper we'll
under control. l never knew of his at
tempting impositions on smaller boys.
thnk as youth he loved justice better than
power He was not dissembler. While
not religious, he was not prcfane or vulgar.
lie was a weli-behaved boy, with in
GShnations right, but had not the deep re-
nglous sentiment which so greatly governed
the family when | knew them.
THE PRESIDENTS RECEPTION.
You know that in all colleges it is the
custom for the President to hold reception
one evening during commencement week
Inns, like the affair we see here to-day, is
tne great event of the year in village like
clinton, where society is not very exacting
IN It's demands, and where 'swallow-tails'
were unknown, except as the regulation
olack of minister of the gospel. Com
Hencement week could no more pass with
OUT Presidents reception than can holt
Jay week in Washington.
Neither Grover nor l was, as you may
well believe, very high in development as