The Story of Garfield Part 4

At the works, the men were, as his mother had described them to be, rough in manner and very profane in their conversation. This gave James so much pain, that he kindly but firmly pointed out the wickedness as well as the uselessness of swearing; and though he was told that it was no business of his to take notice of these things, his presence was an influence for good over them.

While living in Barton's house, he read a number of books on seafaring life and the doings of famous pirates. They fired his imagination so much, that he never tired of reading them, and he conceived a strong desire to be a sailor. This desire became stronger every day, and when Mr. Barton spoke to him about settling down to the potash business, James told him he wanted to go to sea. The old man spoke strongly against such a course, and told him that if he would stay in his service, he might look forward to the time when he would have a factory of his own.

[Ill.u.s.tration: He never tired of reading.]

James was not willing to give up his idea of going to sea, but he remained for some months with his employer. One day, however, Mr.

Barton's daughter spoke of him as a hired servant, and this made James so angry, that, in spite of the persuasions of his master, he left the factory, and returned home on the following day.

His mother was glad to see him back again, though she did not agree with his hasty action in leaving without notice. James explained to his mother that he had not taken offence at being called a hired servant, but at the insulting manner in which the words were said.

Then he filled her heart with dread by expressing a wish to go to sea.

This was a severe blow to his mother, who told him that she could never give her consent to that. She even told him to say no more about taking such a step unless he wanted to make her unhappy.

As a man had been engaged to do the work on Mrs. Garfield's farm, James once more went away in search of a job. This time he was employed by an uncle, who lived at Newburg, to chop wood. While there he lodged with his sister Mehetabel, who had been married some time before. He now worked within sight of Lake Erie, and his desire to be a sailor was intensified when he saw the vessels sailing to and fro on the broad expanse of water before him. At first he lost much time watching the ships, but when he found that his work suffered, he gave it all his attention.

When he spoke to his sister about being a sailor, she replied as her mother had done, and told him that he had better be anything than that.

He was too clever, she said, to throw away his abilities on board a ship.

When the work was done, James carried the money he had earned to his mother, and then engaged to help a farmer who lived a few miles away.

The work was very hard, and the men were busy from early morning till late at night. James, however, would not be beaten.

"If I can't do as much as others do," he said, "I will give up the job."

At the end of the season he received his wages, and the farmer said, as he paid him, "You've done well."

CHAPTER X

THE ROPE THAT SAVED HIM.

The Driver of a Ca.n.a.l-boat Mule-team--Defence of the Eight--James speaks out plainly--A Narrow Escape--A Severe Illness--The Turning-point in James's Life.

When Mrs. Garfield found that James had become unsettled and restless, she decided to give way, and allow him to obtain some experience of a seafaring life. Finding that he had no definite plan in his mind, she proposed that he should try a voyage on Lake Erie.

This suggestion fell in with his wishes, and, once more taking his bundle in his hand, he set out to seek his fortune. On foot he journeyed to Cleveland, a distance of seventeen miles, and went on board the first vessel he saw. There he inquired for the captain of the schooner, whom he expected to be a gentleman. To his disgust, the man who appeared was a drunken, swearing fellow, who, with a volley of oaths, threatened to throw him into the dock if he did not at once leave the vessel.

No pleasant dream was ever more rudely dispelled than were James Garfield's bright visions of the charm of a seafaring life. No such wretch as the captain he had just met with had been described in any of the books he had read, and he began to think that there must be a mistake somewhere. At any rate, he had no present intention of giving up the idea of being a sailor. While walking along the side of the docks, he met his cousin, Amos Fletcher, who was the captain of a ca.n.a.l boat, and to whom he related his recent experience.

Amos offered him the post of driver, and James engaged to go with his cousin to Pittsburg in that capacity. His work was to take turns with another driver, and, for a certain number of hours, when his turn came, to drive the two mules which drew the boat along the ca.n.a.l.

The boatmen were profane, coa.r.s.e, vulgar whisky-drinkers, "who regarded rum and tobacco as among the chief necessaries of life." A greater contrast there could not have been than that which existed between James and the men among whom his lot was cast.

The work required some experience, and the very first day the new driver and his mules were thrown into the ca.n.a.l, while trying to pa.s.s another boat. At once the other men ran to his a.s.sistance, and, when James and his mules were placed safely on the towing-path, he had to stand a considerable amount of good-humoured chaffing.

Amos had been engaged in teaching before he became the captain of a ca.n.a.l boat, and when he found how much James knew, he spoke very seriously to him about his future prospects. His cousin told him that with a little more education he would be well qualified to take charge of a school, and strongly advised him to adopt this course. James now remembered that not only his mother and sister, but every one to whom he had spoken, had told him he was throwing himself away in seeking to be a sailor, and therefore the words of his cousin had considerable influence over him. He began to think that he had been guilty of acting foolishly, and to waver in his purpose.

[Ill.u.s.tration: On board the ca.n.a.l boat.]

One day the boat came to a lock the same time as another boat, and the crews of the two vessels were about to fight for the first turn, when James spoke out boldly, and declared that the right belonged to the other boat, and that it should precede them. The captain was so struck with his cousin's manly defence of the right, that he ordered his men to give way. A fight was prevented, and fair play was given to the first comers. Some of the men in his own crew called him a coward, but that had no effect on James. He had long ago settled in his own mind that the greatest coward was the one who did not dare to do right.

Not long afterwards James offended one of the men, who at once set upon him. To save himself, James knocked the man down. All the men at once called upon James to pitch into him while he was on the ground. But James replied that he never struck a man when he was down. This was a new idea to the men, who had called him a coward because he would not fight for that which did not belong to him. Ever afterwards they regarded him with respect. Even they, rough and brutal as they were, could appreciate the generous spirit which prompted such n.o.ble actions.

One of the boatmen, named Harry Brown, was a good-hearted fellow, who took a great fancy to James. This man was, however, so very fond of drink, that he was always getting into trouble. James tried to persuade Harry to give up drinking, and the man listened willingly to the kind advice which he found so hard to follow. When speaking of James to one of the crew, Harry said, "Jim is a great fellow. I should like to see what sort of a man he will make. The way he rakes me down on whisky, tobacco, and swearing is a caution, and he does not say a word that is not true. I like him, though. I always like a man to show his colours."

All through life it was the same. No matter where he was, or in what circ.u.mstances he was placed, James Garfield always showed his colours, and he was never afraid to nail them to the mast.

Therefore the ignorant, drunken crew not only respected the lad who so boldly reproved them, but boasted of the companionship of one so unlike themselves. Said the steersman to the bowman of another boat, "We have a fellow in our crew who never drinks, smokes, chews, swears, nor fights; but he's a jolly good fellow, strong as a lion, could lick any of us if he has a mind to, and a first-rate worker. I never saw such a boy." Both captain and crew agreed that James was a peacemaker, and that he carried out his purpose without making enemies. Thorough and prompt in everything, and unwilling to be a party to any wrong-doing, he was regarded as a model worthy of imitation by all who knew him.

During the few months that he was on the ca.n.a.l boat, James fell into the water fourteen times. The last time nearly cost him his life. It was a dark and rainy night, and no one saw him jerked into the water.

The boat swept on, and just as he began to despair of receiving any aid, his hand caught a rope in the darkness, and he drew himself into a place of safety. He found that the rope that had served his purpose had held fast by catching in a crevice on the edge of the deck. That was all that had come between him and death. Never had James had such serious thoughts in his mind as then, when he saw the rope and how it had saved him.

At once he thought of his praying mother, and the over-ruling Providence in which she so firmly believed. And at that moment he made up his mind to leave the ca.n.a.l boat, and return to his home.

A few weeks afterwards, James was attacked by ague, and he decided to go at once. It was eleven o'clock at night when he reached the house.

Looking through the window, he saw his mother by the light of the fire.

She was on her knees. Listening for a moment, he heard the words that fell from her lips. She was praying for him. A moment later, mother and son, once more reunited, were sobbing in each other's arms. Then James told his mother all about his life on the ca.n.a.l, and how G.o.d had preserved him almost by a miracle from drowning. After that he went to bed, and next day was found to be so ill that he was laid up for several weeks.

During that period Mrs. Garfield often spoke to James about his future, and he agreed with his mother, that if G.o.d saved his life on that night, He must have saved him for something. Then she brought her son under the influence of the teacher of their school, who was preparing to be a minister, and he soon showed James that the difference between a scholar and a sailor is the difference between somebody and n.o.body.

James decided to continue his education. That was the turning-point in his life. His mother knew that, having once said, "I will go to school," he would keep his word, and from that time she was satisfied.

CHAPTER XI.

STRIKING OUT A NEW LINE.

James decides to attend a College--He obtains Employment whereby to pay his Fees--Looking Upward.

In the life of every strong youth there comes a time when the manhood within him awakens to a consciousness of its proper powers. Such a moment had come in the life of young Garfield. His best friends had striven hard to awaken his slumbering ambition; even the companions of the towpath and of the woodyard had spoken with regret of the apparent waste of such abilities as he had shown; while his mother, who had been the first to perceive his talents, never ceased to urge her boy to fit himself for an honourable and useful calling.

All this advice, however, seemed to be thrown away on the strong-willed youth, until that moment when the Spirit of G.o.d laid hold of him.

Then, as if a lamp had been lit in the empty house, his whole nature was transfigured. He was still the same st.u.r.dy, happy, self-reliant lad; but he was also a youth with a purpose in life. He no longer allowed pa.s.sing fancies to rule his conduct, but, fixing his eye upon one goal, he began splendidly to push his way towards the prize upon which he had set his heart.

With a natural shrewdness, he saw at once that a man without culture and mental training could not climb high on the ladder of life. He saw that knowledge was the one key which opened the door to power in America, and with characteristic energy he set himself to seek that key.

The story of Garfield's attempts to gain an education forms one of the most romantic portions of his history. At first the height of his ambition was to attend a little Western college called Geauga Seminary, a school where about a hundred youths and maidens were gathered, under the auspices of the Free-will Baptist denomination, at the town of Chester in the State of Ohio.

Garfield, accompanied by two cousins, arrived at Geauga Seminary on March 5, 1849. It was perhaps the most important moment of his life, when the big, awkward, ill-dressed boy crossed the threshold of that humble college, and began to tread the path that was to lead straight on to one of the highest places of dignity on earth.

He and his companions hired a room, and with but a little in money, a sack or two of provisions, some pots and pans, and an old school-book, began their simple college course.

Garfield's plans to make his money last as long as possible were amazing. He began with about two pounds, his dear mother's savings, but text-books and school fees had already reduced his tiny fortune.