eft penniless
by the death of his father, he was at a tender age dependent upon his
own exertions for maintenance and education. At the age of fifteen
he apprenticed himself to a cabinet-maker in the town of Middlebury
in his native State. Naturally of delicate organization, he was
unable long to endure the physical strain of this calling, and
at the close of two years' service he returned to his early home.
Entering an academy in Brandon, he there for a time pursued with
reasonable diligence the studies preparatory to a higher course.
Supplementing the education thus acquired, by a brief course of
study in an academy at Canandaigua, New York, at the age of twenty
he turned his footsteps westward.

One of his biographers says:

"It is doubtful if among all the thousands who in those early days
were constantly faring westward from New England, Virginia, and
the Carolinas, there ever was a youth more resolutely and boldly
addressed to opportunity than he. Penniless, broken in health,
almost diminutive in physical stature, and unknown, he made his
way successively to Cincinnati, Louisville, and St. Louis, in search
of employment, literally of bread."

By a sudden turn in fortune's wheel his lot was cast in Central
Illinois, where his first vocation was that of teacher of a village
school. Yet later--after laborious application--admitted to the
bar, he courageously entered upon his marvellous career.

His home was Jacksonville, and to the hardy pioneers of Morgan and
neighboring counties, it was soon revealed that notwithstanding
his slight stature and boyish appearance the youthful Douglas was at
once to be taken fully into the account. Self-reliant to the very
verge, he unhesitatingly entered the arena of active professional and
political strife with foemen worthy the steel of veterans at the
bar, and upon the hustings.

The issues were sharply drawn between the two political parties
then struggling for ascendancy, and Central Illinois was the home of
as brilliant an array of gifted leaders as the Whig party at any
time in its palmiest days had known. Hardin, Stuart, Browning,
Logan, Baker, Lincoln were just then upon the threshold of careers
that have given their names honored and enduring place upon the
pages of our history. Into the safe keeping of the leaders just
named, were entrusted in large degree the advocacy of the principles
of the now historic party, and the political fortunes of its great
chief