Evening star., 1899-01-28

In all sincerity, can say that i consider
this early work in a country store no less
valuable than my scholastic experience in
fitting me for my present position
Out Into the World.
when 1 left my clerkship 1 had some
thing over $50 saved from my wages, and
plan for my immediate educational future
went to the school in Prince Town, where
the languages and higher mathematics
were taught, as well as the rudfments, and
began my preparations for coli age. / took
up Greek, Latin, algebra and geometry, all
in the same week, if not on the same day
L learned them all from one teacher.
Il had but one year in which to get my
preparation for college. Ny money would
not last longer than that time, and in order
to go on l must win one of the two scholar
ships in Prince of Wales College, offered in
each county of the island. l don't believe
/ ever work ed so hard before, since as I
did in those months. The result was that
began to have a bad pain in the back of
my head. 1 told physician whom knew
about it, and he said
If you want to keep on with your
studies, this IS what you must do: At the
END of the term, shut up your books. Don't
look at book all summer, but go out and
work on your fathers farm
Il took his advice. For three months
did not open a book but went home and
did all kinds of farm work 1 bound wheat
behind the reaper and kept my md up with
the other workmen. For me it was the
best thing l could have done.
His Greatest Success.
''The college scholarship examinations
were held in September. / was afraid that
1 had not much chance of winning, but
not only won my scholarship, but stood
f1rst OF all the candidates in the island. I
have been fortunate since than and have
had some rewards that most persons would
consider very much greater than this mod
est prize of $50 year. But tell you that
this was the greatest success 1 ever won
1hat STD year made all the difference in
the world to me then. With it could con-
tinue my education; without it I could not
have gone on.
Sixty dollars is not large sum for a
boy to start out a school year. But in
Charlotte Town, whare Prince of Wales
College was located, living was cheap, and
l earned it by keeping books for a store
keeper at night.
between high school and a country col
lege. In two years 1 had finished the
course there and cast about to earn some
money to go on with. The natural thing
OF the best general schools in the island for
a year. Here taught everything from the
alpnabet up to Virgil and algebra, and laid
by over one hundred dollars.
With this capital l went to Acadia Col
lege in Nova Scotia, to complete my college
course. Acadia was small college, under
the control of the Baptist denomination OF
the seVenty-five or eighty men there prob
apiy 1our-hfths intended to become minis
tefs. l Still looked on the pulpit as my
natural goal, but Just at the time l was
eager for more learning and thought chiefly
of that.
Took Most of the Prizes
Dur1ng my stay in Acadia College I am
pound to say that i took most of the prizes
1or winch was eligible. In the second wear
learned OF scholarship in the University
OF London offered for competition to all the
colleges of Canada. l made up nv mind tn
try Tor it, and sent to learn the particulars.
ihe questions in the examination Were sent
out to the governor general. and by MIN
distributed to the colleges in which there
We're competitors. After the examination
the papers We're returned through him to
London. The examination was held in June
l TOOK 1t, and then went back to Prince
Edward Island for the summer The weeks
passed and | heard nothing as to the result
Oh the examination. At length, when SEN
temper came, gave up hope and started
back to Acadia to finish my course On the
way met some men whom | knew. They
congratulated me- l did not understand it.
and asked them what was ND. -,
Why they said, you have won the
scholarship, haven't you?, That's the news
up in town -
Another Scholarship Wen.
W hen L got to the collegeI found con-
gratuiations from the governor of the
province, from my old professors and all
my friends 1t was a great day for me 1t
opened new vista. The scholarship meant
500 year for three years, to be spent at
London or Edinburgh, as / might elect |
chose London not so much for any educa-
uonal advantages as because | had been.
sleeped In English history and | wanted
TO see and Know the famous city Like all
the Canadian youth of the time | knew
my British history thoroughly, but of
American history | knew nothing at all!
For a youth brought up as l had been
London was naturally Il great revelation
The university was the center for the ad-
Vahced scientific thought of the time /
was plunged at once into Harwinian hi
ology, Spencerian philosophy and the teach
inss OF Huxley and TyndaH / had grown
up win some pretty orthodox beliefs
which found very rudely handled by those
great teachers. To a young man who had
seriously thought of the ministry as a voca-
tion it was nothing less than a terrible
ordeal For time did not know what to
belleVe. L almost lost belief in everything
But l determined to go through with it, to
learn the truth, whether it seemed good or
bad to me.
In my second year I got some light on
the questions that were perpleXing me from
lanes Marttueau. He was not attached to
the University of London, but was lectur-
ing to Unitarian divinity students in Man
chester College, then in Gordon square,
but since removed to Oxford I got peruis-
sion 10 attend his lectures and in the win
ter Gf lSI6-I7 | got a great deal of good out
OF item, for it was then that Martineau
delivered the lectures which have since
been published in the two stately volumes
OF his Ethics. He delivered them before
two divinity students, Miss Macintosh
and myself.
Interested in Philosophy.
1T was at this time that | first becar-a
deeply interested in philosophy, and came
to the conclusion that the study and teach
ing OF the great truths with which It deals
would be the most satisfactory work that
could undertake Therefore, for the third
year OF my course, decided to go to Edin-
burgh, which was still regarded throughout
the length and breadth of the kingdom -
the very home of philosophy
During my stay in Edinburgh | learned
or the Hlbbard travelling fellowship which
mad Just been established. 1t offered 81 900
year for philosophical study anywhere on
the continent that the holder might elect
IT was open to all graduates in the United
Kingdom, and l saw that this was lust
What l needed to round out my phiIosoph-
zeal education, and determined to try for it
There We're siXty-four comnetitOrs in