SERGEANT S. PRENTISS.

A few years prior to the period referred to, a pale and slender young man made his appearance in the town of Natchez. He was an entire stranger, and on his arrival had, it is said, but five dollars in his pocket, which he soon expended in endeavoring to secure the good wishes of his landlord and other inmates of the hotel. He did not think, as he afterward said to a friend, that his capital was sufficiently ample for investment in trade or speculation, and conceived that the best use he could make of it was to purchase, if possible, the kindness of his host. In this he succeeded, and obtained credit for his board until he could procure a situation as teacher. This purpose he soon achieved, and entered upon his duties as tutor to the children of Mrs. Shields, a widow lady residing in Natchez. This position he held about two years, and during that time devoted all his spare hours assiduously to the study of the law.

As a mere private tutor and a friendless and penniless stranger, he had but poor social advantages among the aristocratic circles of Natchez, and consequently his life was monotonous and retired. At the end of the second year of his experience as teacher he abandoned his tutorship, entered the law office of the distinguished Robert J. Walker, and, having soon acquired license to practise law, he immediately entered upon his profession. And now, with no friend but his resolution, and no fortune but his talents, he leaped into the forum, an armed knight, amid an almost unparalleled array of legal learning and forensic ability. The first sound of his voice in the halls of justice drowned every whisper of supercilious conjecture, and drew upon him the gaze of wonder and admiration from bench, bar, and box.

There he stood, the commissioned champion of destiny, the plumed hero of victory, the personification of knowledge without recognition, of eloquence without plaudit, of fame without a trumpet: an unheralded victor, he seized the reins of genius and dashed away to fields unfurrowed and unfought.

Sergeant Smith Prentiss was born in the State of Maine, and in the city of Portland, on the 30th of September, 1808. The paternal branch of his family was of English descent,

ing Sunday I thought you reg pleased to hear from me s

in notarery good hand touri' compose a letter but will do my

イ

i

:st. I do not hear much new sas