Life, Speeches and Services of Andrew Johnson: Seventeenth President of the United States (Classic Reprint)

Excerpt from Life, Speeches and Services of Andrew Johnson: Seventeenth President of the United States

From that time until he was ten years old, the youth was reared by a fond mother; but at that tender age her pecuniary circumstances compelled his entering upon some trade, by which in the early future he could support himself and his widowed protector. He was therefore placed as an apprentice to a tailor in his native city, and until he was seventeen, plied the needle faithfully and patiently for his employer. The blessings of the public school system which are now guaranteed to the poor children of the Union, had not at that time been experi choed in North Carolina, and consequently young Johnson was never enabled to Spend an hour in a school-room. He, however, became anxious to learn, and this anxiety was greatly increased by an incident, which, although trivial in itself, was of momentous importance to the poor lad. A person residing in the town, who enjoyed the advan tages of an education, was wont to visit the tailor's shop and read to the apprentices and journeymen while they were at work. His favorite book, and one which appeared to please the workmen more than any other, was a volume Of speeches, principally those of British statesmen, and so interested did young Johnson become, that be determined to apply himself to study after he had finished his daily labors. He, by perseverance, soon mastered the alphabet, and then soliciting the privilege of using the book as a means by which he might learn to spell, his request was more than granted by the owner, who, instead of loaning, presented the work, and also gave him some instruction in the formation of words. His exertions24: life and services or andrew johnson.

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