Norwich bulletin., 1922-09-07
FAMOUS NICKNAMEs
'Min Boy of the slashes."

Henry Clay, one of the most striking men in American politics during the nrst half of the past century, was prac- ticaIiy self educated, and it was his ear Y school days in Virginia that gave to him the familiar nickname 'aThe Mill Boy of the Slashes." The neighborhood in which Clay was born and where he spent his early childhood was known as The Slashes"
 Clay's ancestors had emigrated from England to Virginia early in the seven teenth century Clay's father, who was a minister, died when Henry was just a little over four years of age, in l7s1 and short time afterwards the boy was sent to the country school in the neighborhood, taught by an Enghshman named Peter Deacon. Here he learned to read and write and very little arithmetic. In this log school house in The Slashes, the only school Clay ever attended he spent three years Af- ter leaving this school he lived with his l mother on the little farm which was their home, and assisted her in such du- l ties az a boy of his age could perform, being eften seen on his way to a neigh boring mill with bag of grain-where- fore his popular title later in political campaigns of The Mill Boy of The 1 Slashes."
 l 1 the romances of American history, AL I most in a night he rose to fame and | power This rapid rise shows the won- I derful chances the poor boy had in his day. Fer poor he was, and when hard ly tall enough to reach the handles of Il the blow he was compelled in order to .j assist in the support of his widowed Il mother, to walk barefooted along the i furrows. Again, from time to time : lTryae Aha would take a turn of meal to Mrs. Dar- ricoft's mill on the Pamunkey river jogging along on the family pony with great bag for 2. saddle and rope Il for bridle.
 '"The Mill Boy of The slashes" kin. dled, at the time, much sentiment in the boscnls of the American people, and
 constituted part of every pepular DO. } htical pageant of the Whig party in the presidential campaign of 1S44. It con. tinues to be poetic since the generation I which first felt it's power has passed | away. It will never cease to be st : while poetry Is natural to man.
 The humble beginning of Garfield ol t the toWpath. and Lincoln splitting rails 3 is duplicated in Clay's homely mill trips P and while the former two attained tn
 greatest of their ambitions, the presi
 dency. Clay was no less a prominent fig | uES NREu 7I IkS 16LHeQ to r6aCn IH9 goa after three unsuccessful attempts. Clay began his professional career a ? the age of fourteen in Richmond. an
 here his talent was quickly recognize
 and he was given a clerksaip in the Fir III ginia high court of chancery. He ac . quired considerable experience in copy 2 ing of legal documents and after a cer E tain time he determined to become
 lawyer.
 Shortly after being admitted to ta, e bar Clay moved to Kentucky, and V was not long before the NH Boy ( 7 The S1ashes'' was looked upon as tn leading lawyer of Lexington. Tn earl
 years, finding his voice defective, he ss
 about steadfastly to improve it. Ba 'e by day he acclaimed to the empty field .eI or 10 audiences of farm animals unti ,e by dint of long practice he had perfec
 sd the high, silvery tones which charm
 ed all hearers. and with which he coul
 play at will as on the stops of an ol m gan.
 nl clay's first political office was in th l. legislature of his state. and it Is sai
 that when he was down for a speecl
 the seats in the senate were empty Thrs
 times he was made the candidate of h party for the highest office in the -gi '. of the people, but the NH Boy II The Slsshes" was not to attain this hoi l. or. Each time he cams near winnin
 and upon the second occasion. when I
 was defeated by "0ld Hickory he "; re not very great loser, and at his la defeat in 1s44, he received only a fe thousand less votes than James R. Pol
 In all these campaigns the hickman ~ 'eThs Mill Boy of The 'Slashes was ust
 co1spicuously at ali the political gat