The commonwealth. (Scotland Neck, N.C.) 1896-1929, 1903-05-28
Thomas ::
:: Carlyle.

| :: Carlyle. ]
Harriet Hobson Dougherty in Kind
Words.
EARLY one Noyem morn
ing, In the first decade OF
the nineteenth century, a party OF
three people walked slowly through
the quaint streets of the little village
of Ecclefeohan In Scotland. Stalking
on ahead was the burly figure OF
working man stonemason evidently,
judging by the dust on his leathern
apron, and the great calloused places
on his brawny hands. A little distance
behind him came woman and boy,
tho latteris hand clasped close In her
toll hardened fingers. She was come
ly woman, simply clad, and with the
kindly, honest face OF the Scotch
peasant. The lad was rather fragile
looking for one bred in the wild hills
of Scotland, and gazed out at the world
through pair Of big eyes that seemed
strangely old and solemn to belong to a
boy Of fourteen years. On the edge Of
the village the man paused, and giving
the boy q hearty shake OF the hand,
and kindly word of farewell, turned
back, leaving the mother and son alone
together. "Do ye send me long let
TOR often, laddie," she said in a tone
t,at faltered strangely. "The letters
r ,vive me wonderful when ye are far
away. Keep up ye heart, lad, and do
" tell me, when e'er ye write, If ye
rad chapter cen and morn. Now,
farewell to ye." For an instant her
hand was laid in rare caress on his
tain shoulder, then he moved slowly
away. The woman waved her hand
when he. glanced back, then stood
watching the lonely little figure as it
climbed the steep road that led toward
tue distant city of Edinburg. And
nus at the age of fourteen, with only
few shillings in his pocket, and his
frtune consisting only of the faded
clothes on his thin little back. did one
It the most remarkable men of bis
Time start out in life. 1t was a long
,urney Thomas Carlyle was begin
:llng, for he intended walking all the
yay to the University of Edinburg,
lightly miles distant. But little he
Jared for miles that frosty morning as
70 stepped buoyantly along for all the
lreams of his short life seemed Just to
;ome true! Ever since he had played
bout the stonemasons cottage, with
he eight other children, two Ideas had
:,een firmly fixed ii the small Thomas
mind. One of these was, that some
time and some how, 1t did not matter
much just when, or just how, he was
going to have an education. Not
merely enough to read and write let
ser, like his plain, honest old father,
,ut one vast enough to teach him all
,e wanted to know-which was every
hing! The other cherished idea was,
he was determined to write a book
L must write book; I tell you 1
must !" he insisted over and over again
20 his astonished mother, while he was
very little boy indeed. And the sim
DE soul would elevate her hands and
yes, and stare helplessly at the solemn
syed child, who was waggiDg SO wise a
head at her, and insisting 80 vigorous.
~ on writing a book! She felt, no
loubt. very much like a matroniy, old
luck would, should one of her wad-
ding brood suddenly mount into a tree
top and begin to sing. These two
fixed purposes took firm hold of the
boys mind as he grew older, and SO it
vas, that after leaving the village
school, we find him pluckily starting
'ut to tramp the eighty miles to col.
ege without penny in his pocket.
There is something wonderfully pa.
'hetic in that early morning start out
into the life where he was destined to
play 80 brilliant part! No money
no friends, no 1nfuence-ln fact nc
anything, but loving mother at home
md in his own breast enough pride
pluck, and towering ambition for two
men. Through the long, hard years Of
college life, where grim want stuck
,lose at his heels, that boyish determi
cation did not falter. cit is a certain
TACT that must writs-a book I" b
wrote once during those years which
we're SO bare OF eveay thing, save work
md hope. II cannot say it have til,
i slightest genius, but / know 1 hav,
enough unrest to run parish. If tn,
edifce / construct be but dog hutch
it is more honorable to have built ,
dog hutch than to have dreamed O
building a palace"