The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1895-07-14
RICHARD OLNEY'S BOYHOOD,
The Early Life of the Secretary of State i'm
Oxford, Mass
WOma
He Was Born Had Never of Him,
Others Him
Copyrighted.

VS. ABOUT the smartest boy in argument
mat 1 ever saw His logical powers were
remarkable for his age and the adVant-
ages he had had.
mere must be something very marx
ca IN boy to make an impression on -.
man In middle life which he will re-
member for nifty years. No. 1 don't kno,y
as 1 thought at that time that Richard
mOuIu rise 10 eminence, for l had been
uisopp hted IN so many bright boys VINO
pesereed out as soon as they left school.
l remember Richards brother, Peter
Dutier Oiney, very well, too; he was ap-
pointed district attorney in New York nv
Cleveland in 1888. Peter was bright ana
as able In debate as Richard when he was
" the same age. 1 knew the Olneys
through and through. The father lived
anu uled right beside me, and l knew their
grandfather, too. They were all smart
men, ana not only smart, but honest, and
that Is the browning glory of manhood.
An old schoolmate of Richard Olney.
Hollis w. ID. Bacon. keeps the tavern that
the grandfather kept when it was known
as the Olney tavern. The old sign which
invited the wayfarer to stop and feed his
neast Is now in the possession of one of
the Olney family.
went to school with Richard" said
Mr. Bacon, who, clad in a long linen dus-
Ter, sat in an armchair on the porch of
the Inn. 1T was at Mrs. Metcalfs house,
when she kept private school.
may say" he continued in a self
defamatory way that was the last of my
schooling, but Richard kept right on.
There was this difference between us in
scnool-I had to study my lessons, and he
didn't. He only had to look at his books
TO Know what was in them. He was y
years old, and was IA. Our teacher, Mrs.
Metcalf' was the wife Of an old orthodox
minister, who had kind of got through
preaching. Guess he found it didn't pay.
so his wife took to teaching.
''She had a dozen scholars in an upstairs
room that had straight highbacked chairs
and other old fashioned furniture. Most
OF her scholars were girls. There were
only two or three boys besides Richard
Olney and me. We had great respect for
our teacher. She was well educated, and
very strict and firm. l didn't go to her
school but three months, but Richard went
long time. That was forty-eight years
ago"
When the hotel keeper pronounced the
name of Olney, he pronounced it in the
old English way, emitting the sound Of l.
as if it were spelled Oney. This is the
way 1t is spoken by all the old inhabi-
tants, and it is the pronunciation also used
by the Rhode Island branch of the fam
lily.
hlcndTu Olney 5 Iatner was an unaS-
Stunning man, who took the greatest inter-
est in his children. He wished to see
them make something of life. He was
a money Garner. but not a money-maker.
He never became rich, though during
his later years he held the position OF
cashier of the oxford bank. His duties
there were of a clerical nature and while
esteemed by the directors for his hon
esty. he was never regarded as a shrewd
1aaDknr He n 61ipsd "a IN.
abled him to keep his family in comfort
All he could spare he spent on his boys
education. In this he was assisted by
Peter Butler, his wifes brother, a we'll.
known and prosperous Boston merchant
II is said that this large-hearted mar
contributed TO Richards academic and
college expenses. Herbert Haywood.