The Washington times., 1916-12-09
BOYS And GIRLS
WORLD FAMOUS
James crichton, Debater and
Lingulst at the Ago
OF Fifteen.

His name was James Criohton (pro-
nounce II "Crytoni' pleasO ana ne
was born In Perth. Scotland. In 1850.
or his early boyhood there are many
legends and there 10 little that can
be set down as fact So.
But In n century when the average
man could not read or write. the lads
genius for picking up an education
made him famous before he entered
his teens. Not only did he study. but
he learned to night. And he soon be-
came as renowned with the sword az
with the pen.
He entered history In 1876. when
he crossed to Paris--then the worlds
center of education-and posted the
following notice on the door OF every
college and seminary there:
James Crichton, gentleman. of the
County OF Perth. In Scotland. will de-
bate with any scholar. In prose or In
verse. y. on any subject. and In twelve
Naturally a shout Of laughter wen,
up from all the French universities
And this laughter redoubled when II
was learned that the .presumptuous
That such a youngster should pit hi,
intellect and his education against the
Erestest minds In France seemed the
You will have to answer at ieas,
nIteen hundred pussling questions.
A strange Contest.
'If the day is long enough" he an
swered. lightly, "I'ii answer two thou
sand. The extra five hundred will
tax only my time, not my wit"
The time was SGT The auditorium
Of Navarro College wss chosen as q
place for the contest. Fifty picked
scholars from the universities were
sent to compete with the Scotch boy
The hour arrived. The nifty schol
ars wero assembled. SO wero several
thousand oniookers. crichton did no,
appear. A rumor spread that he had
lost his nerve and had ned from ths
But a few minutes afterward
Crichton ssuntered csrciessiy ints
the auditorium. Bowling to tho ref
crees. he apoioxized for his lsteness
explaining that no had been attack ec
by 2 professional dueiist on his wa,
aXs he was skiiiful with tn,
sword" added Crichton, az was forced
to waste . little timo In killing him
I regret the delay. but Il was neces
The contest began. The nifty schol
ars bombarded the boy with the mos
| erudlte and perplexing questions "a
Greek. Italian. English. Arabic, Latin
German, Hebrew. French, and otheI
| Criehton replied correctly and bril-
iiantiy TO each. Sometimes he woui,
answer an Arabic question IN Itaiiai
| or an English query In Greek, etc,
showing himself thoroughly at hom
At last the snsi ausstions wsr
cd. The Judges declared him the vic
tor. A purse OF gold and q damon,
were awarded to him as prizes.
Of him. TO all the capitals of Europ,
The fffteen.year-oid boy continue
his tour of the Continent, everywher
Issuing his queer challenge; ever,
where triumphant In the sharp test
set for him.
MIS- Masked .Essay.
To Rome he jourueysd, and Z
Padua and Venice and Bologna an
TO every other medieval seat OF iearr
ing. One italian scholar who con
poted In vain with him writes:
"This Scottish boy fills US with
terrified awe. For he knows NOR
than it Is right for q mortal man I
Al Mantua the lad found the cit
In panic over the deprsdstions OF
robber baron, for whose arrest
huge reward was offered. Crichto
sought out the robber. killed him I
lfair night and distributed the pril
money among the poor OF Mantua.
The Duke OF MAntua employs
Crichton as tutor for the ducal hei
a dissolute youth, vincenzo di GoI
zago by name. VincenEo hated HI
young tutor and envied him the WI
and beauty that were his.
One night, as Crichton was Teturl
ing TO the palace through . deserte
street, he was attacked by seveyl
masked ruffisnr. He slew or disable
all but one OF them. He rushed upo
the last member OF tho group, al
arminy, him and tearing the mas
from his face.
The disarned man was his pupi
Vincenzo.
Crichton. with q deep bow, offers
his own sword, hilt foremost, TO n
disarmed Vincenxo. The latt'
snatched the proffered sword ar
drove II through crichton's heart.
lNangrtsks Ia1GN