The Hood River glacier. (Hood River, Or.) 1889-1933, 1903-04-30
Andy JOhnsOn's Account Book.


Andrew johnson, the seventeenth
president of the United States, was in
early life a tailor, aud his tailors ac-
count book is here in Philadelphia. The
entries in it read like this:
Dec 23-James Patterson, DR..
TO cutting up 80
Thomas o. Arnold, DR..
To mending one coat."..................... LOO
John DOyce, Or,
BY flour 100 lbs) 200
The volume is long and slim, about
IS inches long and about 8 inches wide.
1t is bound in pasteboard that is COW
cred with a pale brown paper, across
which bars of another shade run. 1t is
a little faded, but its state of preserva-
tion is excellent. There are even loose
slips of paper lying here and there
among its leaves-slips covered with
memoranda and arithmetical calcula-
tions in Johnson's unframed and diff
cult hand.
The book proper shows that the
young mans tailoring business was
neither very huge nor very profitable.
1t shows that his prices were extremely
low. 1t shows that he was often glad
to take in payment for his work flour,
potatoes and wood.
Andrew Johnson's handwriting was
bad aud his spelling was faulty. 1t is
not strange that these things should be
so, for he did not learn 20 write until
after he was married. His wife taught
him to write; he had learned to read
from his fellow workmen when he was
IA tailor's apprentice. lie never went
to school.
In the circumstances surrounding
the ahiect poverty of his early life there
is something strange aud pathetic. An
drew JOhnsOn's father, when the LAD
was only years old, died from injuries
that he received in rescuing "a drown
ing person. He left his family in want
and Andrew, at the age of 10, was ap
prentced TO tailor. By the time he
was l6 he was skilled enough to be t
iournevman, and he worked in that ca
pacity at Iaurens Court House, ). G
In 1926 he arrived in two-wheeleC
cart, drawn 10y blind pony, in Green
Sville, Tenn, and in Greenville he Sc
up in trade for himself, married, learn
ed to write, and established the reputa
ton that led him ultimately to thu
presidency.
Johnsun's wife was Eliza McCardle
She it was who educated him. A wo
man of intelligence, refinement ah'
generosity, she devoted her life to he
husbands culture and development
and deserved no little share of the cred
it of his success.
In 1929, at the age of 2l, Johnson en-
tered politics. He organized in Green
willie a worlingmen's party, and wa
elected TO several local offices. Ill
served in the state Legislature; he wa
in congress from 1913 To 1858; in 1888
and again in 1855, he was elected gov
ernor of Tennessee; in 1857 he becam
United States senator.
johnson was strong against secession
When Lincoln was elected he made
powerful speech in favor of the pres
ervation of the Union. This lOyalt
subjected him TO grave personal DANCE
from the Tennessee secessiOnists whel
he returned So that state To organize
Union party.
In 1862 Lincoln appointed Johnso
military governor of Tennessee, din
cult and dangerous post, in which \
served so well that, though original
democrat, he was nominated on I'll
ticket with Lincoln in 1854.
His later life was stormy. lmmed
ately upon his accession to the pre-
idency at LineOln's death he began
dissension with congress as 10 the cot
eitions upon which the seeding STATE