The herald., 1895-07-02

hlND NOHDS fisOM I'ls. SUI l.
ment He had fine faculty of sympa-
thizing, and it was an inspiration. Your
subject for an essay next week, he said
to me when a recitation had ended, lis
'Feasts - What feasts'' inquired.
Just feasts,' said the doctor. ANY
feasts you can think Of. l concluded to
give tho doctor rare dose of them and
toilod to get up something unusual. l
thought the doctor might have given me
a few hints-to have blazed the way, as
they say in tho woods-and deciding on
burlesquc I set sail on festivals from
China to Lapland; from the cannibals to
the rice eaters; from tho Eskimo gnawing
a tallow candid to the Roman emperors
eating peacocks' brains; Francis Marion,
with sweet potato, to the British officers
with roast beef and plum pudding.
had been reader of ancient history,
and Plutarch's lives and Josephus were
familiar and was we'll read about the
Egyptians, Turks and Romans found
feasts prolific subject and prepared
some closely written pages on fcasts and
read them with suppressed glee feeling
that l was having fun with the doctor.
He did not say word when l had finish
ed, merely nodded l had IA feeling that
there might have been a smile from some
body. His example appeared to forbid it.
AS the class was retiring the doctor, sit
ting by tho stove, called me, and turn
ing back l found myself alone with
him. He looked very serious and said II
called you to say that l have noticed you
are interested in your writing and aro
ablo to express yourself in that way with
facility. Your essay today is very good,
and say it for your encouragement. l
believe if you will give your attention to
improving yourself as writer you may
find an advantage in it," l am warranted
in using the quotation marks, for I re-
member each word in its place. and the
words that stood forth and meant every
thing to me were encouragement" and
advantage"
Whether I thanked the doctor then in
words | do not know, but my manner
must have done me injustice if he did not
sec that l was grateful His room was the
northwest corner of the college building,
on tho ground floor, and the position of
the woodbox and the fuel in it, and the at
titude Of tho Doctor indeed all the sur
roundings, are as if photographed in O
strong light, every detail perfect and in
effacoa5io l left the room with clearer
vision ot what it was my destiny to do.
Tho doctor did not stay with us at College
hill, as he was at tho end of q year recalled
to Oxford by interests he could not dis
regard.
Tho last interview had with him was be
fore wood fire in the White House, where
he was honored and beloved by his young
est daughter, the wife of the president of
the United States. The doctor was then 90
years of age, and there was tho charm Of
othor days in his voice, the same wolcom-
ing tones, the attractive expression IF a
sincere life anti the atmosphere Of refine
mont that was characteristic of him al
wars. l asked him if Lo recollecteu what
he had said to mo about my essay on
feasts, and he said he did--the substance
of it-and I repeated tho words as I have
written them here and told him he was
respousible'for a large supply during 40
years of copy" for printers, blighting
their lives possibly, and perhaps doing
other mischief, to say nothing of my di-
version from the more peaceful paths,
from the furrows of the plow to those Of
the pen.
There were four farmers SONS from
Paddy's Run for the first session at Farm
ers' college, and it is but fair to the school
to say that three of them remained farm
erS, ana TWO OF CDO6e were very lnUelll-
gent, industrious and successful in that &C.
oupation, while the third, less successful
because he mixed in other matters, was
always true son of tho soil. The one who
was led off was myself When the first
session was concluded, VIC returned to the
familiar fields, but it was resolved that as
soon as the summer schools opened l
should seek a situation as schoolteacher,
the purpose being twofold-to save few
dollars and to teach myself-and finish
up the preliminaries, as my college expe-
rience had rendered me keenly sensible OF
deficiencies and of the necessity of being
we'll grounded in the elementary branches
The school was found at Colerain, on
the south bank of the Miami river, about
half way between Hamilton and the In
diana line. Farm labor, as was quitting
It. seemed, after all, to have moro enjoy
men5 In it than had been apparent when
the indications were that was bound to
it by fate. 1t is funny to remember how
freely boys use the tremendous terms
"futo" and destiny" and how. while
the simplest phases of life seem profound
mysteries, the mighty problems occur to
the youthful vision as singularly easy and
clear. Going away from home to school
did not seem to be SO fatefnl a moment as