Los Angeles Herald, Volume 44, Number 81, 1 July 1895 — HALSTEAD'S PADDY'S RUN PAPERS' [ARTICLE+ILLUSTRATION]

HALSTEAD'S PADDY'S RUN PAPERS'

Halstcad in the Hands of the Educators AT SCHOOL WITH HARRISON The Future President Was a Diligent Student and a (mod Fellows-Rival Literary Societies« Preparing for Life's Battles

XII. {Copyright, 1895, by Mural Halstcad.] Tlio Amerionn farmer has not, as a rule, felt under obligations to philanthropists proposing to make a living out of educating him. Scientific farming has been held in great contempt by those who havo had a pridn in farming according to nature. Tho feeling of a farmer that ho knew all about farming was stronger half n century ago than now. Ido not romembcr then to havo heard of any farm product that was overproduced—not even corn. It had not entered into tho heads of our wisest men in public lifo that tho time could como when Asia, Africa and

South America—lndia, Egypt and Argentina—would competo with American farmers in cotton und wheat, or that the vast regions north of tho Missouri river and cast of tho Rockies could como in dangerous rivalry with tho wheat lands of centra! New York ant Ohio. Tho Dakotas were not contemplated, ant that tho plains oi Nobraska might haoo mo sugar plantations — as they are capable with tho oultiva

tion of tho boot—

was not imagined. The agricultural newspapers were not hold in high

esteem by the agriculturists with whom I was familiar when a boy. They won tbeir way to the position now bole slowly and over a thorny path. The ono thing known about tho rotation of crops in tho remoto p-iriod of which I am speaking was that after corn was grown for many years in succession on tho same fields (it they were not bottom lands overflowed nearly every year) tho crop de clined, and it was a good thing to give it a turn in clover.

Tho success of the invader on a white borse in southwestern Ohio persuading tho farmers to take stock in a farmers' college has been-a puzzle. It is only accountable upon tbe theory that the man believed that ho was engaged in a missionary work of first rate importance. Nearly 800 young men assembled, and there was perhaps never before or since such a remarkable assortment of raw material for tho plastio hands of educators. Tho president of the college, Freeman G. Cary, was a strong and zealous man, earnest even to violence, with a hatred of tobacco—that bane of colleges, that soon influenced me to become a smokor—a wasteful habit that I ropented and reformed long afterward. Robert Hamilton Bishop, then ex-president of Oxford college (Miami university), was tho inovitable Scotch professor who taught f run trade political economy, and be was a splendid old scholar and gentleman after the manner of tho later and more cole brat d Dr. McCosb. Next in rank was Dr. John W. Scott, the professor of literature and one of the most kindly and charming of men, whose cottage in the midst of vines and fruit trees and flowers it was an educational privilege to visit. Joseph G. Wilson, the bead of tho preparatory department, a born teacher, who was truly interested in his work and whoso endless patience and resources wero invaluable, came next in general estimation. Later he found his home in Oregon and was one of her earliest representatives in congress after a laborious and most honorable career on the supreme bench of that state. At tho opening of the first session of the college, which succeeded Cary's Academy, nearly everybody started in the preparatory department, and Joe Wilson, whoso genial dignity made the "Joe" a term of respect and endearment, was by far tbe most important man in the faculty, so far as the bard work was concerned. I have omitted Ormsby, tho mathematician, who mado mathematics attractive, and the usual teacher of Fronoh.

We wero arranged on the fseoond day of tho session on thu low wooden benches in tho recitation room of tho old academy, the building that had been occupied by that institution boforo tho college edifice had usurped tho first position among the colloges on the hill. Tho boys did not know each other, as they had just been raked in from half a dozen countios, and were seated, according to tho official list of their names, in strict alphabetical order. I was at the south end of one of tho northern of two rows of benches fnolng east, where the teacher stood, his black curly hair and eyes shining. Thoro were nearly 100 of us, and we wero wanted for examination as to our accomplishments and

classification. Joo Wilson was to sift us and report progress as he found where we belonged, one of the great tasksof lifo, nevor quite accomplished until the ond. The walk between the rows of benehos was on my right, and the boy on my left was a fow years younger than I and quite slender, with fair hair and a pale, serious face. I was wearing a heavy brown homemade coat, with very largo buttons, and it was rather a more comfortable than decorative garment, though it might have been a dress coat, for tho tails wore not in tho way of my legs, save whon I sat down. My loft hand boy was very neat, and 1 only remember of his clothing that his jacket was buttoned up to tho top button. Wo wore seated next each other, because our names began with tho same lottors, and his name was Henjamln Harrison. His elder brother, Irwin—the mother's maiden name—was on his loft, and they were placed in that order because the initial B came before I iv the all powerful alphabet. Wo did not stay in this order very long. Benjamin Harrison turned out to havo the advantage of the majority of us in his preparatory studios, and ho has held his own pretty woll, considering tho talonthe has had to compote with, over since. This was the beginning of an agreeable acquaintance, and when anybody tells me that Ben Harrison is not a good fellow, why, I know that ho is mistakon. It is perhaps not so curious as it seems that thu boys talked of Ben Harrison as tho one of us who would be president of tho United States. I suppose in most American schools there has boon a boy picked out by his companions for the presidential distinction. Tho prophecy that the presidency will strike a young man is a popular one. General William Henry Harrison had been dead only eight years, and four of bis grandsons—lrwin and Benjamin Harrison and William and Charles Thornton—were In the school, but Ben was boy cut out for the big busmesi ,

•inero was a fading tnat tne country in • way owed tho Harrisons a term of the.' presidency, ac the one who had been elected served only a little over a month, and Ben wa.s tbo foremost family representative, though his elder brother was ia figure and faco liko bis grandfather. I shall not undertake to toll of tho college adventures In which the futuro preaident participated, for experionce bas taught me that wo are liable to differ materially as to the truth—tbat is to say, tho aecuraojf —of tho ancodotos that Bchoolfollowft relate of each other. I am sure a good many things that, appear to bo authenticated bee yond a reasonable doubt in my own ease never happened, and just who wore pieeent when a false llro nlarm waa rung* and when there was a midnight moonlight theatrical performance, with vp andlence apparently of nngcls, I aha" not hazard a recollection. Tbo college soraM is indeed, with vory rare exceptions, a par. tbeticnlly innocent entertainment. Tharf) is never anything surprisingly orisfinal, and I do not r.-member any affair tc* extravagant for good fun. Benjamin Harrison was not at school for amusement, applied himself Intently, coon getting tfcc reputation of a who, though bo was fond of amusement, neglected no duty and lost no tlma In the literary society that had the pleasure <,& his allegi-mco bo was very soon one of the best dcclaimcrs. Tho namo of the society, was the Fhilomathcnn, which ramind.l mo of tho mythical Philometh. The rtv- i society was called the Burritt, for Kit: j Burritt, ' the learned blacksmith," (apposed in thoso times to be a famous] mua With an oducational influence. Thero were treasures in the libraries of tho litorary societies. Tbe Phllomathe&ig had tho Wavorley novels, and one SaeTirday I got into my hand "Ivanhoe" aud, took a seat to glance at it. I was soon in anothor world, and the glory of it abides.! It was tho first novel I read, with the exception of somo scattering chapters ot] "The Soottlsb Chiefs," wolch were bewildering, but did not waft one away. Tha splendor, tho magio of literature, grew! more and more fascinating, but seemed mora and more impossible aa an occupation. How ouo could live by writing X bad no idea until the Cincinnati Commercial offered a prize for the best novelette) produced within a stated time and also a) prizo for tho second best. And the possibility of the conversion of monuscript into bread and butter seemed to be like that of getting a fortune out of a lottery,; only more precarious. Besides what waa one to write about, and wno would eara. for it? Clearly there was "no thoroughfare" that way. The law was the caper.' There were lawyers walking about even aa j other men, and thoy made speeches, andj some of them went to the legislature and! even to congress. I proceeded so fares' ta> ascertain that tbe first book to read when one read law was Blaokstone, but it watt worso than studying grammar. It onef could have gained a knowledge of law by! reading novels, the path Of tbe studena would bave been shewn with roses. Tnatj was the way it teemed to me. I dolnof know Why 11 was. but tbe boys who dial not caro a much as they should above* their studies ippeiired f» havo an affinity forme. • >■ i c ally I wajpfced them to lot me aloiio, for t bad no'tCme to throwj nway. 1 h rl lost .good deal of time, a* far as s< b< loom i were conoerned, in my) preparat ry reo of farming, and I needed to mal -vi ..ordinary exertions to) catchup. BUs fiddle and Harry's bonesJ however, :> : I c ased from troubling,) and I be, ft] v ly to get the bang of tw scboollieiif I tof us, after tbcAofl-J day Meets, settle >wn to work and tried! intently to .rot .. pull on our minds, and got glimp « notimes of the way l« was done, though c wore constantly, tgj somo oxtent, « raged by being toWj that educatiuu ,<tu a preparation for tha serious work of life. Real work, then, dldj not consist altogether In feeding, gearing and hitching up horses, or in chop-, ping wood, or making fence, or hoeing corn, or husking it. College Hill was but seven mlloe.from. tho center of Cincinnati, and there was a dally omnibus to tbe metropolis. Several of the boys lived there, and there was a female college half a mllo away from tha Farmers' aud largely patronized by tha Cincinnati families. Tbe theory was thati there oould be but little known in one of) the colleges that happened in the other,; but that was a mistake in fact. Some ot the girls were good enough to have cousins among tho boys. There was a way of sending girls whose fathers died, away from home to boarding school, and tall young ladies in black were often to be seen,! especially on Sunday, when the procession marched from the Ohio Female college to the Farmers' college, and those slender: forms in somber weeds wore "so near, and yet so far, " and when lost to eight wera still to memory dear. j MUBAT Halstead, ;

A Dainty Bureau Cover. j A clean bureau cover and pinoushiorv add very muoh to the beauty and freahness of a bedroom. They are pretty mada of dotted muslin that can be easily laundered. Make the pinoushion ot ample slat) and odgo with two ruffles, a small one ad the soam and a wider one at the bottom.. A narrow lace makes a pretty finish to thai ruffle, and the bureau cover cau be trimmed in the samn way. Of course this arrangement is perfectly simple, but when the muslin is starched and olean, the rusV fios crisply fluted and tbe whole mada over colored silk or sllosia it is very freah and pretty, and, moreover, will last foi years.

A Japanese Bath. Mr. Heury Norman writes: "The Jap* anoso aro a clean people, and tbeir bath a new experience to Europeans. Take an onormous oval bucket, holding perhaps 59 gallons, with a stovepipe ruuning up insido it. Fill tho tub with water and tha pipe with redhot charcoal, and whan the temperature is a little short of tho boiling point gut bodily in and eit down and you have a Japanese bath. In most cases tha next step is to get out again with amazing alacrity, but the Japanese sits calmly thero and perspiros till he is parboiled. J ' |

His Natural 31 intake.

"Yos," the literary boarder, was saying as the cheerful idiot entered the dining room, "ie had a remarkably dramatist flavor." "What had?" asked the cheerful idiot. "A novel I was reading last night." "Oh! I thought you were perhaps speaking of tho omelet."—lndianupoilg Journal.

A Suggestion. Mr. Slowtogo—What would you do li you wore in my shoesf Miss Wery—l'd point their toes sowar*! tho front door. —.Detroit Froe Press.

When Baby was sick, we (raw her Castoria, \ j When she was a ('lold, she cried for Castoria.' When she became Miss, she clung to Castoria., When sho had Children, she g,\ve them CMoaJl

MtJRAT UALSTEAD AT NINETEEN.