D. A. Wasson. Boston:
Lee and Shepard.] in which he confesses to having been a sensitive,
excitable and passionate little fellow such as the more cool-headed and
phlegmatic sort could tease and worry at pleasure. Since he was also
very high-spirited, this resulted inevitably in a good many fights, and
from being naturally peaceable and tender-hearted he became at last the
most noted pugilist in that community. It is said that at seventeen he
could smash a door-panel with his fist. That he disliked work on the
farm is not surprising. Manual labor is injurious to boys physically and
mentally; and they should be saved from it, except perhaps in the haying
or harvesting seasons, as much as possible. Otherwise he was modest,
orderly, truthful, and the finest scholar that had ever been known about
Castine. His father recognized his superior abilities, and made an
effort to send him to Bowdoin College.
There were many obstacles in the way, however, and he did not enter
until 1845. He never told me much about his college life. He was older
than his companions and more serious. The light spirit that makes it a
joyous festival to many was not in him. Of the myrtle and ivy of sweet
two-and-twenty he knew nothing. He distinguished himself in mathematics
(especially in geometry, which is the most logical of studies) and in
the students' debating-societies. He was also an excellent gymnast.
Pages:
114
115
116
117
118
119
120
121
122
123
124
125
126
127
128
129
130
131
132
133
134
135
136
137
138