The midland journal. (Rising Sun, Md.) 1885-1947, 1899-02-24
cpynsht o, Kellogg Nevserco1 esV0S WNMNa \\S%S

tune and sorrow: but when his creditor
commenced the foreclosure of the mort
gage, both hope and ambition left him.
He died the day after the place was
sold; and if ever man perished of a
broken heart, it was he.
Twice, at his suggestion, at long in
tervals. had written to Mr.. Bostock
to repeat our thanks for his gift and
so to remind him of the poor New
Hampshire lad in whom he had prof
fercd so warm an interest. Later de-
velopmcnts caused me to recall the
dates of this correspondence. My first
letter was written upon my sixteenth
birthday anniversary, January 1, 1853
In the due and rather slow course of
the mails of that time an answer came,
postmarked at the address in Missis-
sippi which Mr. Bostock had left with
u.s. | was at that time completing my
first quarter at the academy; was eager
and jealous in my studies. and it must
be confessed that | was rather taken
aback to discover that my correspond
ent was very poor speller. But the
matter of the epistle could not have
wished different. 1t was hearty, gen.
erous, sympathetic. He reiterated all
/ had heard from him as to myself,
five years before, and he bade me come
down to him as soon as my parents
would consent. My second letter was
written in 1857, upon the death of my
father, and advised my correspondent.
that both of my parents were no more.
~ h lS rot
thought strangely of his silence.
1t troubled me much, although at
tributed it to miscarriage of the mails.
After the lapse of few weeks, the de-
sire and intention to write again grew
strong 1t so happened that the diff
culties and annoyances of the situa-
ton in which | was placed after the
death of my father caused me to defer
this design; so that, when started on
my southern journey in the summer OF
1858, the letter was still unwritten
NV father died soon after | became
twenty years of age. For year after
"a memorable year!-I was domiciled
in the family of my guardian. Deaco'
Halleck
Shall attempt pen-picture of this
man? 1t is not possible for me to do it
justice. He was something over fifty,
long, gaunt and sallow, with high
pitched, squeaking voice that dismally
rasped through all better sounds in the
church choir. His face was thin,
peaked and bloodless, his eyes restless,
his hands were always moving about
as if searching for more coin to add to
his store. He was reported to be worth
twenty thousand dollars-a large for
tune for that day and place. Behind
his back people called him hard, pc
to as our leading citizen" "a model of
piety,""a pillar of religions"
In common with this mans unhappy
family, suffered all the severity of
patriarchal government, and all the
torments of religious fanaticism, du-
ring my sojourn in his house. At sun
set of Saturday, the Sabbath was
deemed to have begun, and disci-
pline harsher than that of the peniten-
tiary was enforced. The Scriptures
were read and expounded through
Deacon Hallecll's nose. Morning and
afternoon the family was marshaled
|
barren of shade, where the people
sweltered in summer and froze in win
ter. as stoves in the latter season
would have been deemed suggestion
of the adversary, At all times in the
week levity was frowned upon and
discouraged. The stray copies of the
Boston papers that had been my de-
light were vigorously confscated, as
the deacon had not the time to go
over them with the scissors and clip
out the sinful paragraphs. The few
volumes of history and poetry which
had accumulated by long and patient
self-denial-my precious books!-were
seized and put under lock and key,
until this Cerberus could look them
over and see if any of them were fit
to escape the flames. Meantime, pend
ing this decision, was recommended
to peruse the volumes of the deacons
small but select library, of which Bax-
ter's Perseverance and Rest of the
Saints" the lurid sermons of Rev.
Jonathan Edwards, and "Fox's Book
of Martyrs" may be cited as speci-
mems.
My existence heretofore had been
one of toll and poverty; but love and
kindness had lighted it. To say that
hated this new existence and it's condi-
ttcns, is Y.feebly to express my feel
mes.
in the December before my majority
the deacon's barn, situated some dis
tance from the house, caught fire, and
was burned to the ground. 1t was
filed with hay, part of the crop from
the owners farm, and some old disused
implements, all of which were con-
sumed. The deacon promptly collect
ed the insurance, and it was cautiously
whispered about that he had succeeded
in getting his loss appraised at about
double the actual amount. But people
were very careful about repeating this
story.
The restraint and discipline to which
was subjected brought on an eXplo-
sion that winter. 1t was soon after
my twenty-first birthday. had been
waiting little for my austere guardian
to inform me that was no longer un-
der his direction, when was resolved
by hook or crook to make my way to
Mississippi. In the meantime resolved
upon a little unwonted personal lib
erty. A young peoples sleighride to a
tavern up in a gap of the mountains,
with supper and dance, had been
projected. | we'll knew it would be