St Johns College - Yearbook (Annapolis, MD)

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father first moved in this vicinity, and although my home is many miles from here now, I always manage to pay occasional visits to my former home, and whenever pos- sible, to commune with my thoughts in this secluded spot. At the time of our arrival this farm was owned and cultivated by a highly respectable family answering to the name of Hielt. Of this family there were only three sur- viving members,-the father and mother, and a son john sixteen years old, about the same age as myself. john had an impulsive, somewhat poetic nature, but was, alas, too easily influenced by circumstances, which fact often led him into serious blunders. Furthermore, I may state that he was very fond of his parents, and seemed to delight in fulfilling their wishes. This feeling of love was returned by them 3 so that the three formed as happy a family as it has been my lot to look upon. t'There was a public school about a mile from this place which we both attended, and as the road to it ran through my father's farm, john used to stop for me in the morning, and in the afternoon, after the session of the day was over, we invariably strolled homeward together. Often times when I was at leisure I would accompany him to his home and help him with his odd- ends of work, while at other times he would return the same favor. So we lived peacefully and happily in each other's company, while the neighbors were wont to aver that when either of us were seen, the other could not be far behind. 1 151 How I remember the holiday tramps we used to take through the green fields, and amongst the huge trunks of the forests ! Never so happy were we as when, the days chores being completed, we found ourselves in each otherls company, to delve into the haunts of Nature and pry into her secrets. John was naturally bright, and also studious, and it was not unnatural that, under the influence of his pict- uresque surroundings, he should develop a taste for natural science. He borrowed several small works on botany and read them, and collected quite a number of botanical specimens. He acquired such a love for the study of nature that he had almost determined to lead the life of a naturalist, when a single incident, seemingly of the most trivial character, was sufhcient to turn the bent of his inclinations towards a profession which calls into practice not so much the sympathetic, loving investiga- tion of the lower orders of God's creations, but rather a cold, critical study of human nature itself. I mean the law profession, and the fatal incident was this: 'Une day at school after a particularly interesting lesson in Grecian History, the teacher asked john a question which had for its object the testing of his judgment as to cause and effect. His answer, though not remarkably brilliant, was good, and elicited the remark from the teacher: ' john, you ought to be a lawyerf This remark, though said in a joke, preyed upon his mind, and from thence forth he ceased to take so much interest in his botanical . F

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.if ii i s fi Wt li oughfare. There was not even a sound of life, save the whistling of birds and the barking of squirrels in the woods, with the silence broken now and then by the loud cawing of crows flying overhead. I permitted the dog to wander where he would, and sat for a long time musing, when at length I heard a rus- tling among the leaves, and then I espied on my left the sparrows along abroken-down fence ily away, as if fright- ened by the approach of something or someone, and it was not long before I saw emerge into View among the tall weeds a little old man, who seemed to have a pecu- liar interest in the scenes I had been enjoying. The iiight of time had left its traces in the furrowed, care- worn Visage of the stranger, and he sadly shook his head, as if from the force of peculiar experiences, or at least, strange recollections grouped about this hallowed spot. I He had not yet noticed me, but as soon as he heard my dog thrashing about in the underbrush, he looked up as if startled. This expression, however, was only mo- mentary, and as soon as he saw me his cheery f'Good morning l caused me to feel that whatever of care or sorrow had left its sting upon his life, he yet possessed the most kindly feelings towards his fellow men. I ap- proached him, and after a little preliminary talk, our conversation turned to the panorama spread out before us. I was rejoiced to find that he was not only willing to talk upon the subject, but as might be surmised from his mysterious head-shaking, he was also possessed of 150 an accurate knowledge of the circumstances which had transformed the old homestead into an utter wilderness. Said he, H I love to wander about this site, for every breath I breathe upon these dreary hills seems to be laden with recollections from the history of a sad and misspent life, yet recollections which bring to me many a lesson 5 for I have not been untouched by the hand of sorrow, and it is always a help and comfort to me to think that my lot in life is easy as compared with that of other poor suffering mortals. I think it is bad discipline to be con- tinually bemoaning one's own hard lot, without thinking of the trials of human creatures besides one's self, and I also think that what has proved to be such a benefit to me might equally prove a source of benefit to others 3 so if you are inclined to listen, I will try to relate the prin- cipal incidents connected with the history of the ruin be- fore us. Of course I jumped at the proposal, and after seating ourselves upon a log by the edge of the woods, there in the heart of nature herself, uninterrupted by the noise of busy occupation, and with a chipmunk on the fence as our only observer, he related such a tale of human yicis- situdes and woes, yet withal blooming with rich moral blossoms, that I have ever looked upon that beautiful November 11101'Ill11g as furnishing one of the richest ex- periences of my life. The substance of the story, told as nearly as possible in his own words, is as follows :- I think it was in the Summer of i 52 when my

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S 45 wifi studies, but occupied his leisure time more in general reading. I have always greatly feared that john's choice of professions did not chord with his natural tempera- ment, and was the indirect cause of many of the mistakes in his after life. But enough of this. Two pleasant years of inti- mate friendship passed away, and John, having finished his course at the public school, and meanwhile taken up a special course of study under a kind friend who offered to give him private instruction, was preparing to leave for college. His education had of necessity been but fragmentary in his early years, so that he was compelled to strain every nerve in order to make up the deficiency. Yet perseverance and energy won, and he was at last prepared to enter the Freshmen Class at college. Nobody can tell the sacrifices the mother and fa- ther made in order to send that boy to college, but he was a worthy lad, and the brightest hopes were enter- tained for his future success. How his last few weeks of time at home sped on,' bringing nearer and nearer the opening of the collegiate session, and what a wrench it was to feel that we must so soon be separated l At length the day of departure arrived. I was up bright and early, and had run over to the Heilt farm to see john off. john strove hard to conceal his emotions 5 but to a boy of his temperament leaving his home for the first time, this was too much of a task 3 and as he helped to place his trunk in the wagon, and then climbed in him- 152 self to be driven to the railroad station, I could see that his cup of sorrow was well-nigh full to overflowing. His mother and I watched him until he was lost from view behind yonder stretch of Woodland, and when he had looked back and waved his last farewell just before disap- pearing, the mother's silent tears fell thick and fast for a few moments, and I am not ashamed to confess that mine followed. However, we knew it was best for john, and so we wereconstrained to repress our feeling and betake ourselves to our respective duties. John's first few days at college were fraught with many new experiences to him. Although used to wait- ing upon himself, still he missed the ministering hand under the parental roof, and in many respects found mat- ters entirely different from the quiet life on the farm. Little by little he became acquainted, however, and after that peculiar malady known as homesickness had worn off, he settled down to work, and made for himself a fair record. He corresponded regularly with his mother and me, and as it was in accordance with his nature to be frank and open in all matters, we were kept well informed respecting his experiences at college. The receipt of his letters was, you may suppose, a source of great joy to his mother, and it was not long before she was outwardly reconciled to the separation, and the daily routine of the farm went on without interruption. john fully enjoyed the work at college, and was never so happy as when a holiday gave him opportunity md