Evening journal., 1910-09-21
NEW NEWS OF YESTERDAY
How ThurIOw Weed Became
Interested in Politics
BY "HolIand."

"Mr. Weed" once said to the great
Whig maker Of presidents, governors
and senators of the last century, dur
ing one of the chats | had with him
IN his old age, when he delighted in
telling, I'm anecdotal form, of his pol.
itical career, 81 have often wondered
how it happened that you developed,
even i'm your early life, so great a
fondnessforand ability as we'll in poll
teal action. Was there any especial
incident in your early career that turn
ed you towards politics. or was it the
natural bent of your mind and tenn
Derament?
WELL" replied Mr. Weed. from
my earliest boyhood | was greatly in
terested in the printers trade, and
when was boy and for years after,
in New York state to be a printer or
an editor was almost equivalent to be-
Ing politician. But, as l look back
on my boyhood, now see that there
was a specific incident in it that un-
doubtedly helped greatly to shape a
political career for me. 1t occurred
when I was tending a sugar camp on
the west> side of the Catskill Noun
tains; you know, my birthplace was in
the Catskill Mountain region and
there ] spent my boyhood.
"In those early days they used to
harvest a great deal of maple sugar
and maple syrup in the Catsklll re-
gion, this industry presenting an op-
pOrtunity to all who were so inclined
to earn little ready money in the
maple sugar season; just as later
there came opportunities to earn mon
ey through the picking of hops and
the harvesting of apples. Ny people
were poor, as you know, and so, even
as a mere lad, l tried to pick up a
little money as a worker I'm the sugar
camps.
well, one season | was employed
to watch the fires in a camp on the
Western side of the Catskills. That
is a very tedious as we'll as a very
trying occupation. Once the sap has
been tapped and put on ii boil the fires
must be watched day and night. Other
wise the harvest might be spoiled. Il
was my particular task to avert such
a calamity, and 1t was dreary enough
work, especially at night, when / was
on duty
Fortunately, however, heard,
that farmer. who lived ten miles dis
tance. had a few books which he
would be willing to lend to any one
interested in reading them. So, one
morning. after my nights work was
over, ! set out upon a tramp over
the snow to the farmers. And ]
kept on resolutely until I got there,
too, though the snow. which had froz-
en-, cut my shoes until they almost
fell to pieces and, what was worse
still, tore at my feet until the blood
was ready to run from them. But
was recompensed for all the effort
when, after stating my mission to the
farmer, he kindly offered TO lend me
any OF the books ne had He led
me up TO the shelf on which he kept
them and told me TO take my pick
I chose history OF the French revo-
lution-a story which had always
fascinated me, although I had never
been able to read much about IT,
/ Then, after thanking my benefactor
l started back through the snow. part
OF the time walking almost barefooted
through il.
That night. by the light of the fires
of the sugar camp. and with pine
boughs for my couch. reveled in
the first pages of the wonderful story
and night after night lay reading
the history of the French revolution
II was more fascinating to me than
any Arabian Nights tale. saw
how men became leaders of-bodies of
men. ] followed the wonderful de-
velOpment of Napoleon And. finally
a mighty ambition was awakened IA
me. ! felt that l had some quail
ties that might make me a leader
among men. ] resolved to develop
them; and when at last ! took that
book back to the farmer ] was con-
scious that a new spirit had seized
me--a new inspiration had come 10
me. and new ambition"
Mfr. Weed became thoughtfully
silent. His eyes seemed as though
they were gazing backward at his
very boyhood. For a minute, per-
hays. he was in deep reverie. Then:
YES he almost whispered, IL
think can trace my activity i'm poll
teal life to the impulse to make my
Sself a leader of men which came 10
me as / read that story Of the French
revolution before the fires of that old
sugar camp.
Copyright, 1910. by Z. ]. Edwards.
All rights reserved)
To u,orro,~ NJ Ed.-a. TN IN