The Wheeling intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1903-1961, 1913-04-14
SECOND INSTALLMENT.
E D NC ALTO N.

"aS a. siShly OSllCdte DOy. SuuereO
much from asthma. and frequently had
10 be taken away on trips to find "a
place where | could breathe One OF
my memories is of my father walking
up ana down the room with me in his
arms at night when | was a very small
person. and OF sitting up in bed gasp
Ing. with my father and mother trying
10 heIp me. ! went very little to-
school. ] never went 10 the public
schools. as my own children later did.
both at the Cove school, at Oyster
Bay and AT the Ford school, in
Washington. For a few months at
tended Professor McMullen's school in
twentieth street near the house
where | was born. but most OF the
time I had tutors. As | have already
said, my aunt taught me when | was
small. Al one time VIC had French
governeSs. loved and valued man
selle, in the household
When was ten years old I made ny
first journey TO Europe. My birth.
day was spent in Cologne. and in or.
der TO give me a thoroughly party
| feeling | remember that my mother
put on full dress Tor my birthday din
ner. ! do not think gained anything
from this particular trip abroad.
cordially hated IL. as did my younger
brother and sister. Practically all
the enjoyment We had was in explor-
could get away from our elders. and
in playing in the different hotels. Our
one desire was TO get back to Amerl-
ca. and We regarded Europe with the
most ignorant chauvinism and con
tempt. Four years later. however,
| made another journey TO Europe.
and was old enough to enjoy il thor
oughly and profit by il.
While still small boy | began To
take interest in natural history.
remember distinctly the first day that
| started on my career as zOoloeist. |
was walking mp Broadway. and as I
passed the Market TO which | used
sometimes to be sent before break
fast to get strawberries ! suddenly
saw dead seal laid out on "a slab OF
wood. That seal filed me with every
possible feeling OF romance and ad-
venture. asked NnCre - was killed
and was informed in the harbor |
had already begun 10 read some of
Mayne Reds books and other boys
books Of adventures. and felt that this
seal brought all these adventures in
realistic fashion before me. As long
as that seal remained there | haunted
the neishborhood OF the market day
after DAY. | measured IL. and recall
that. not having tape measure, | had
10 do my best to get it's girth with n
folding pocket foot-rui- u difficult IN
Of tine utterly useless measurements.
and al once began TO write natural
his;Ors of my own. on the strength OF
that seal. This. and subsequent ma
tural histories. were written down in
blank b. oks in Simplihcd spelling
wholly unprecedented aud unsCienti-
fic. ! had vague aspirations of in
some way CT another owning and pre-
serving that seal. hut they never got
beyond the purely fOrmless stage. !
think. however. ! did Eet the seals
skull. and With TWO OF my cousins
promptly started what We ambitiously
called the Roosevelt Museum of Ma
tural History
The collections were a. first kept II
my room. until = rebellion on the par,
of the chlmh.rmaid received the APP
pro, al ~ the higher AUTHORITIES az Ia
nous hold and the collection va.
u.UNsd up To- KIND ~ bookta~" Ia
tn, back hall upstairs. n was The -
dirarA small bo.'S coll. 'ttuu 81 Curi"S,
quit, incpnGruous and entirely vail. --
l-Ss except from N" standpoint 90 tn
iut himself. NJ father and mother
Encouraged No warmlt ~ this. a. th.'y
always diG in ans thing that Wou
give n- wh"l'suin- Hi' as ITc or heap
- dcN ciop me
The adventure a.. IA" seal ard the
novels Of MAINE Rod together
str"ngth"r.d ny instructive interest IN
natural history. WAS too Young 49,
understand much Of MAJ ur Reid. - -
e.. ptinE the ad,rntIre part ano fh"
natural 70 story part h,so entArt!l'd
M Fut OF 'pur-. mt reading vas
not wholly confined q" i4tI hisi"r-
There was 'sT litt'. ,H"-' mai" 90
Compel m. to r''u H"nlr. U' ia'H-"
and mother having tho good .cnsc 1"'
o. tTr Zoo set IA" Fl" read "n. 'r.rs J
a. F .rtff.sa 10 ITO " lH