Show BEECHERS YOUNGER DAYS The Story of His Youth us Told Ky Himself Him-self A New York newspaper man a reporter E for The World went to Henry Ward Beecher one day to get from his own lips a story of ic his life S My childhood he said was perhaps no ss t different from that of others seventy years v ago The little ones in those days were not 1 given the consideration that is now accorded them and properly so too A literature for children was not dreamed of There were no childrens festivals and holidays no Christmas Christ-mas and New Years parties The only time C that brought us any especial favor was > Thanksgiving when New England housewives house-wives vied with one another in the composition composi-tion of unique pies limitless quantity I didnt have any jumping jacks nor tops 1101 marbles nor toys of any kind It doesnt sewn to me that I knew any boys to play with either Wo lived in apart of the village vil-lage where there didnt seem to be any boys And so I was let alone My father was kept busy with his pastoral duties and my IN mother had so many other children to attend U to that little att ntion was paid to me Still I was not lonesome I was not fond of reading read-ing but I used to like to tramp about the woods and down by the brooks and among the fens and brakes I would go on a hunt for sweet flag and sassafras and I knew just hero to find the squirrels I found plenty tc In do Sometimes my father would whip me I remember that he used to tell me that theM the-M hurt him more than it did me It was hard to believe because ho was a strongman strong-man but I believed it and it used to make mo cry to be told so then of course I had to cry when the whipping began and all in all those were very doi ful epioiles He gave this picture of himself at school his first teacher was known as the Widow d Kilbourn CIA hazy image of myself comeS back to mea lazy dreamy boy with his head on the desk half lulled asleep by the buzzing of a great bluebottle fly and the lowing low-ing of the cows and the tinkling of their re F bells brought in the open door across the at sunny fields and meadows It was after he had passed some time at his sisters school for girlsthe only boy among forty young lassos and had studied a year D at the Boston Latin school that ha made up his mind that he wanted to go to sea Of this period in his life he said or My father let me read the stories of Nelson and Capt Cook The adventure fever that often seizes boys took hold of me I had all sorts of fancy drawn pictures of what I might do in the jungles and deserts of the Orient I used to lounge about the docks and wharves in Boston and listen to the shouts of the sailors and watch the great merchantmen make ready for their voyage to the Indies At last 1 could stand it 110 longer I determined deter-mined to go to sea and had actually made all arrangements when my father discovered my purpose by chance He lid not oppose me > strange as it may seem n ndlsj me to go to Mt Pleas ant KIE self ncadeiiy nt Aiiberst and prepare my 4 by the study of Ration and I mntics for mathe al a Seafaring life e And to Mt Ileasait lUlt I wentaiid nn in n little d 0 while I forgot nil ub abqut my boyish 1 1 I frek ro There I dd I study nnd when I left I iry Wac fitted to enter Amlllrst t College At colIe 1 I shldied what I liked and didnt study what 1 didnt i like e Is Much of my time was spent in i running about UI unioiig the hills and gorges near the her ClI ll 1 1 town I was a powerful quaint young fel1on oil ith wind and perspiration up to high water er iwik I was a runner and a gymnobt and 1 uitj 1 of kicking the football And I was verv load of n good time full of jokes and jollity 14 of all kinds and always ready for anything INI I if hat promised fun It was while at college that he fell in with Fowler who afterward became prominent asa as-a phrenologist A great friendship sprung up between the two and they used often togo to-go out and lecture to the country people about Amherst on the science of JJie bump But he declared that his efforts in that line were only in fun Of his first pastorate Mr Beecher said How poor we were There were only about twenty persons in the flock I was janitor as well as pastor of the little whitewashed church I bought some lamps and I filled them and lighted them I swept the church and dusted the benches and kindled the fire and I didnt ring the bell only because there wasnt aiiy It doesnt occur to me now that Lawrence burg was remarkable for anything but a superabundance of distilleries I used to marvel how so many large distilleries could be put in so small a town But there they were flourishing right in the very face of the gospel that my little flock and I were preaching preach-ing in the shadows of the chimneys Well my next move was to Indianapolis There I had a more considerable congregation congrega-tion though I was still far from rich in the worlds goods I remember very well how I borrowed a paint pot and brushes and gave my house afresh a-fresh coatit was yellow I believe UI always had a fondness for journalistic work especially if it was of an agricultural I nature At Indianapolis I edited the farm i column of a newspaper and found it pleasant i and remunerative I suppose though that all newspaper work is like that That at any rate was my dearest recreationI thoroughly enjoyed it I believe I was very happy during my eight years out there I liked the people There was a hearty frankness a simplicity in their mode of life an unselfish intimacy in their social relations that attracted me They Were new people unharrowed and uncultured uncul-tured like the land they lived onbut they were earnest and honest and strong But the ague shook us out of the state My wifes health gave way and we were forced to come east |