learning still possessed him, and he spent all his spare time in study. With youthful en thusiasm he deprived himself of rest, recre ation, sleep and exercise that he might have more time for his books. His health broke down, and he was obliged to return to his uncle's house. The latter, touched by the boy's delicate condition, gave him permission to enter the Brandon Classical Academy. He soon distinguished himself as a bright scholar. His mother, having married a wealthy lawyer, who lived in the interior of New York, Stephen was placed at the acad emy of Canandaiga, in that State. There he spent three years, studying hard, and acquir ing the readiness in debate and fluency in public speaking which afterward distin guished him in the larger field of public life. While still at the academy, he began the study of the law, and at the age of twenty started to seek his fortune in the then far West. After wandering through several cities and towns, he reached the little town of Win chester, Illinois, in November, 1833. All his worldly goods were carried in a bundle on his back, and, in his pocket, he had only thirty-seven cents. He knew no one in the place—he was tired—he was hungry—his heart was heavy; and then, for the first and last time in his life, his splendid courage failed him, and he "gave way to gloomy fore bodings." In that hour of depression, of dis appointment, discouragement and almost of despair, the unexpected happened. He was leaning against a post in the public square, thinking over his prospects, and no doubt wishing himself back in his mother's house, when his attention was attracted by a crowd that had gathered at the other end of the square. Advancing in that direction, he saw on a platform, a big, burly, red-faced auc tioneer, who was vainly trying to conduct a sale without a clerk. As Douglas approached, the auctioneer beckoned to him and asked whether he could "figure." The young stran ger answered in the affirmative, and was
then and there engaged at two dollars a day and board to act as clerk to the auctioneer. The sale lasted three days, and Douglas made a very favorable impression on the crowd by his wit, politeness, good humor and quickness in attending to his duties. When the day's work was. done, and the citizens were assembled in the bar-room of the tavern, he entertained them with anecdotes, political and otherwise, of which General Jackson was the leading subject, for Doug las was a great admirer of the Hero of New Orleans. So agreeable did he make himself to the leading men of the town that a district school of forty children was started, of vhich he was made teacher at three dollars a quarter for each pupil. Borrowing some old law books and the Statutes of Illinois, he re sumed the study of the law. As a teacher, he satisfied his pupils and his patrons, but he was not satisfied to remain long a pedagogue, and after teaching three months, he applied for admission to the bar. In March, 1834, he was licensed to practise, and opened an office at Jacksonville, Illinois. In the minor cases in which he was at first employed he showed great skill in managing the knotty points of the law, as well as in the successive defence of the worst criminals. In such cases he quickly developed his great natural in genuity, tact and cunning; and they afforded him opportunities to display his learning and research. He was well read in the State Statutes, and his extraordinary memory en abled him to discover Immediately any tech nical error made by his opponent at the bar. His remarkable success in defending crim inals caused the ruling powers of the State to elevate him to the position of Prosecuting Attorney for the First District of Illinois, when he was only twenty-two years old, and before he had been at the bar two years. When he made his public acknowledgment for this honor, he delivered so eloquent a
