. Heroes and statesmen of America, a popular book of American biography . ed. Whenquite young he was sent to one of. the old field schools of thecountry. The teacher was an Englishman, good-natured, butfond of his bottle, and allowed his pupils to do pretty much asthey pleased. Under him Henry learned to read and write,and to cipher as far as Practice. This was the only school heever attended, for his widowed mother was not able to do morefor him, and as soon as he was old enough he was obliged totake his place on the farm to assist in cultivating it. He didnot like this life of drudgery, howe
. Heroes and statesmen of America, a popular book of American biography . ed. Whenquite young he was sent to one of. the old field schools of thecountry. The teacher was an Englishman, good-natured, butfond of his bottle, and allowed his pupils to do pretty much asthey pleased. Under him Henry learned to read and write,and to cipher as far as Practice. This was the only school heever attended, for his widowed mother was not able to do morefor him, and as soon as he was old enough he was obliged totake his place on the farm to assist in cultivating it. He didnot like this life of drudgery, however, and in 1791, when he wasfourteen years old, his mother obtained for him a situation in adrug store in Richmond, where he served as errand boy andclerk of all work for a year. In i792Mrs. Clay married Mr. Henry Watkins, and removedto Kentucky. Previous to their departure, Mr. Watkins ob-tained for Henry a place as copying clerk in the office of Tinsley, clerk of the High Court of Chancery, It wasdecided that Henry should remain in this situation. His (492). HENRY CLAY. HENRY CLAY. 493 mother went to Kentucky with her new husband, and Henrynever saw her again. He applied himself with diligence tothe duties of his position. The young gentlemen then em-ployed in the office of the Court long remembered the entranceamong them of their new comrade. He was fifteen at thetime, but very tall for his age, very slender, very awkward, andfar from handsome. His good mother had arrayed him in asuit of pepper and salt figginy, an old Virginia fabric of silkand cotton. His shirt and shirt-collar were stiffly starched,aud his coat tail stood out boldly behind him. The dandylaw clerks of metropolitan Richmond exchanged glances asthis gawky figure entered and took his place at a desk to beginhis work. There was something in his manner which pre-vented their indulgence in the jests that usually greet the ar-rival of country youth among city blades; and they afterwardscongratulated one
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