IO 



Squirrels, rabbits, opossums and reptiles abounded 

 in the woods through which he daily passed, and fox 

 hunting and boar hunting were pastimes in which, 

 boy though he was, he not unfrequently engaged. 



At the close of the year, his kind friend and bene- 

 factor having decided to prosecute his studies at the 

 Newton Theological Institution, he returned to his 

 home in Southbridge, where, on the 9th of June, 

 1833, he was publicly baptised and received as a 

 member of the church. During his absence a 

 brother-in-law, the Rev. Hervey Fitts, had become 

 pastor of the Baptist church in Middleboro, and 

 now he offered his young relative a home while he 

 should pursue his studies at the Pierce Academy. 

 Here he remained another year and then entered 

 Brown University, being the first one of his class to 

 be matriculated. He was now in the beginning of 

 his sixteenth year, small in stature but vigorous in 

 health and strength, poor in purse, rich in hope, de- 

 termined in purpose, and rilled with a hoi} 7 enthusi- 

 asm to do the work to which he felt that he had 

 been divinely called. Such was the lad who, on the 

 second day of the term called on President Wayland 

 to know what he could do to pay expenses. Looking 

 kindly down upon him the good President gave him 

 work in his garden, for which he paid him full 

 wages. This was his first experience in college life, 

 and it was full of promise. As winter set in and he 

 could no longer do garden work, he obtained per- 

 mission of the Steward to take charge of some reci- 



