The Washington herald. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1906-1939, 1909-07-25

I decided TO emigrate to Illinois. where
1 had an aunt Walking part Of the
way. but riding in stage most OF the
distance I came TO COnnellsviue in Penn
sylvania. and saw railroad train for
the first time Furthermore. I attended
Barnums show in the afternoon. In
the evening. fun OF strange thrills, I
started on my journey 20 the West.
Taste of Real Life.
L raised the window Of the day coach
and let the cinders and smoke from the
locomotive get in my mouth. nose and
eyes. but principally into my eyes. The
sensation of gliding in the moonlight
through the woods and fields. past towns
and sleeping farm houses, kept me alert
and keen all night. I remembered the
oxen and the round-bellied and big-footed
horses back in the yellow dust Of West
Virginia. and prying a piece Of coal from
my eye. said TO myself: This. then, Is
life. real life
IN Columbus. Ohio. a policeman at
the railway station tapped me on the
shoulder and nodded for me to follow
him. You were talking. he whispered
In my ear. with the most dangerous
pickpocket in the United States
And the most dangerous pickpocket
in the United States. I replied. has been
talking with country boy who hasn't
a red cent
"On arriving in Illinois ! walked eight
miles TO the home OF my aunt I found
that the school l hoped to teach wouldn't
open for a matter Of six or eight weeks
Accordingly. ] contracted with a man
named Price to while away the time in
various healthful exercises incident to
practical agriculture I was Just out OF
college. my voice was rather deep, and
made some impression on Price Pres
emily. he got me to defend a man whose
COW had caused some damage 10
neighbors crops.
How He Became n Lawyer.
Il had read Blackstone in West vir-
ginia and had made my plans to be a
lawyer. A father sued the university for
$4,000 because of the expulsion Of his son
The oratory I heard at the trial decided
my course in life. Besides. there were
several lawyers among my mothers rela-
tives. Her uncle. William G. Brown. was
delegate TO the secession convention in
Richmond. He delivered a speech. which
have read, that was an accurate picture
OF what war would mean to the South.
Houses. he said would be burned: crops
would be destroyed; hay, grain. and food
would be carried away. Nothing would
remain IN the Shenandoah Valley but the
blackened chimneys OF vanished homes
Ny prophetic great-uncle said he remained
In Richmond until men passed under his
room at the hotel dragging ropes and yell
ing. Let's hang Bin Brown So he got
on his horse and rode home
well. / taught school in Illinois for
five months, ard sent all the money that
L earned some 5000. to my mother. Times
were then hard with the Delivers The
panic Of 1873 started the financial troubles
Of the family. Ny father fought as long
as he could. but I'm the end ne lost his
property. Returning TO Morgantown,
studied law In the law Office Of John J.
Brown. a relative. I also studied politics.
Brown was a good lawyer. He had the
Of Congress in his library.
read them with avidity, being especially
interested in the Impeachment trial OF
Andrew Johnson. which, in my present
Judgment. was the greatest intellectual
contest in the history OF this country
The perorations OF the different speeches
committed to memory. Every night
Brown would examine me In the law I
had read during the day. He gave me
sound instruction.
Cheered for Blaine.
THE following year I walked. begged
rides of farmers, and beat my way on
steamboats, to the Republican national
in Cincinnati. I was for
Blaine. and cheered as loudly as I could.
md kept on cheering for him as long as
he lived. In fact. I strained my voice