The Republican journal. [volume] (Belfast, Me.) 1829-current, 1916-11-16
The Making of an American.

Jacob RMS began lite IN Denmark anG |
gives as some of the events which shan-
ed his destiny early sports, but especially
among them the meeting Of a girl on a
bridge This event shaped his hopes and
ambitions and purposes IN life, while
being shut UP in hogshead merely gave
him view of his limitations He still
reverences those early scenes, though 80
years have elapsed. At II years of age
he concerned himself with the sewerage
OF the home, end is still interested in the
tenement because it dwarfs body and
soul. He divided his Christmas presents
with poor man on condition that ne
tidy up.
That was the age of the goose quill,
whale oil lamp and steel and flint to
strike fire. He chose his own trade of
carpenter, to the great discomfort of his
father, who wished him to be a teacher.
When he was working on the factory of
his best girls father, her presence
among the lumber piles so attracted his
attention that he injured himself several
times, and on one occasion had to attend
dance with one arm in sling. This in
itself did not effect RiIs, the citizen, so
much as ordering her father from the
dance floor, which caused him to go to
large city to finish his apprenticeship.
Anderson's fairy stories and the above
mentioned girls presence in the city to
finish her education were factors in max
ing the future citizen. His pledglng his
Sunday trousers to buy her bouquet, or
crying murder at the theater when an
actress resembling his sweetheart was in
danger, did not have so much influence in
forming the citizen as they reveal the
stuff Of which the boy was made. Four
apprenticeship was ended; then he re-
turned home, where she had prece led
him.
The towns people all knew that he had
proposed and been refused, for the father
had other plans for his daughter. He
kissed her hand and took her picture and
lock of her hair to America. That pic
ture and lock of hair were the magnet
which drew him through all the whirl-
pools of life in a strange land The
above influence is aided in America by
the public school, church, and last by the
annual enrolment, which makes a man
feel that he stands for something. The
scenery Of the Alleghanies and the de-
moniac shrek of the donkey in the coal
mines were character formers
When Denmark was about to declare
war, he saw chance to win fame on the
battlefield which would admit him at
once to the castle of Elizabeth. He
spent all his money getting to New York,
only to find that the government was not
at present enlisting soldiers. Two i'm
portant events occurred in his rovings.
Food received from an old monk in
cowl changed his mind in regard to those
people. A few days later he met Chas.
A. Dana, editor of the New York Sun.
He finally secured job hauling clay at
$22 per month. Dreaming of her play
ing among the timber, he forgot clay
bank and pit. Forgetting to take out
the tailboard when he dumped, the old
horse went into the pit, load, cart and all.
Twenty years later, one of these brick
makers heard him tell this story in lee
ture before Rutgers College. He made
several unsuccessful efforts to 90 to
Denmark. But he finally joined the
great army of tramps, from which he got
knowledge OF the evil he attacks. He
learned to make better men and women
by lettering their condition. He had
letters to friends, but burned them be-
cause his clothing was not respectable to
call on friends or even to secure work,
A night to be remembered to all time
was cold, stormy October night, when
he was sitting supperless by the side of
the river. The falling rain and the
swish of the tide presented a striking
contrast to her castle. 1t was at the
moment of most utter encouragement
that wet, shivering dog poured plte-
GUS whine in his ear. The animal re-
sponded to his caresses by climbing upon
HE knees and licking his face. The af-
- AL,c