sively, but in a mild, affectionate, yet determined manner. The result was most happy indeed: Pierce gave up his levity, his carelessness, became devoted to his books, got up early and sat up late, became truly an excellent scholar, and, what was more pleasing to Zenas Caldwell than all the rest, became deeply impressed with the truths of religion, and to this day, his sympathies are with the Methodists. Long since the devoted young Christian gave up his spirit to his Maker, but his gentle, winning, religious conduct in college, still has its powerful influence over one of the brightest minds in America. It is not speaking beyond the truth to say that it has added a steadiness and sobriety to the life of Franklin Pierce to this day, and will to the day of his death. In a recent conversation with General Pierce, he alluded to his old class-mate in the most feeling manner. When his collegiate course was about half finished, young Caldwell persuaded him to accompany him home, to Hebron, in Maine. It was in the winter, and the common district school in Hebron was without a teacher, and the brothers Caldwell influenced him to assume the dignities of a teacher's life. He was paid fourteen dollars per month for his services, at that time and place reckoned very high wages. Look at the future President of the United States the teacher of a district school! And in our humble opinion, the one office is as noble a one to fill as the other.

Entering the school-house, he found nine different

B

He took the

kinds of arithmetic in use! His first act was to send down to Portland for a copy of each. At last, in the course of the winter, he came upon a very blind problem, which, amid all the cares which pressed upon him, he could not solve. book containing the problem home to his boardinghouse, and walked the floor incessantly. It was in vain that he thought. He went back to his schoolroom the next morning, dejected, and delivered a long lecture to his scholars upon the propriety of their solving their own problems, as it would do them but little good were he to show them the process. The same night in his room, he again worked painfully at the incorrigible problem; and when about to give up in despair, while walking the room, he chanced to cast his eye upon a little recess in the chimney. Turning a button and opening the door, without any particular object in view, he saw a sheet of paper covered with figures, and looking carefully upon it, what was his astonishment to discover the very problem over which he had so long puzzled his brains, wrought out carefully to a correct result. In a moment he saw the principle which he had overlooked, and which was a key to the answer sought.

After three months within the walls of a country school-house, Frank Pierce bade them farewell without much sorrow, that he might again pursue his collegiate course.

While in college, his young friends formed a mil

itary company and elected him its captain. In marching to and fro between two given points, he found it very convenient to march across a portion of the green near the mansion of the President of the college. After doing so once or twice, the President gave out his orders to Captain Pierce, that in future he must desist from marching so near his house. When the next parade day came on, the young captain, as before, marched his company across the aforesaid green, whereupon the President, who was a small and thickset man, came out, and in a furious manner, thus accosted young Pierce:

"Did you not hear, sir, the orders which I gave you recently in reference to crossing this green ?" "I did, sir," he replied calmly.

"And why did you not obey them?" asked the President, still angrier than before.

"Because it was an unjust order. It puts us to great inconvenience to obey you, while it certainly does you no harm for us to go past your house."

"I will have you to know," said the President, "that here civil law is superior to military!" And he retired to his house. He made a violent attempt to expel Pierce from college, but through the interference of friends, desisted from further action upon the matter.

Mr. Pierce took his degree in the year 1824, with high honors, and left Bowdoin College and his numerous circle of friends there with regret, for among them he had spent some of the happiest portions of

his life. Here he bade farewell to his devoted friend, Zenas Caldwell, who had taken such a deep interest in his welfare, who died two years later, at the age of twenty-six.

The three following years were spent successively in the office of Hon. Edmund Parker, at Amherst, N. H., Hon. Levi Woodbury, at Portsmouth, and in the law school of Judge Howe at Northampton, Massachusetts.

In 1827 Mr. Pierce was admitted to the bar, and opened an office opposite to his father's mansion in Hillsborough. At this time Gov. Benjamin Pierce, enjoyed a commanding influence in New Hampshire. His popularity was such as is not often witnessed in the world of politics. As a matter of course, the success of Franklin Pierce was almost instantaneous. Under common circumstances a young lawyer is obliged to make his abilities known to the world before can hope for success. But in this case the high position and popularity of Gov. Pierce gained for his son immediate practice. But had he lacked eminent abilities, it would soon have been discovered, and he would have lost that patronage which he secured from the reputation of his father. He needed not only great abilities but severe and constant labor, to maintain the position which it was on all hands conceded he must take. We need not say that he not only met the highest expectations of his friends, but far exceeded them. He rose daily in their esteem and admiration.

Mr. Pierce at once espoused the cause of Democraey with unbounded zeal, and such was the confidence reposed in him by his fellow-townsmen that in the second year of his practice, at the age of twenty-five, he was elected to represent the town of Hillsborough in the State Legislature at Concord. The three successive years he was also elected to that body, and such was their opinion of his abilities, that in 1832 and 1833 he was made Speaker of the House of Representatives. At this time there was great agitation throughout New-Hampshire in reference to General Jackson. The State, in the year 1829, came out boldly and grandly in favor of the hero of New Orleans. Benjamin Pierce was elected Governor by more than two thousand majority, and an entire Congressional delegation in favor of Jackson's administration was chosen, and a legislature returned strongly Democratic. The following year the agitation became greater, and the Democracy achieved a still more brilliant victory over their opponents. Their candidate for the Governorship was elected by four thousand majority, and Isaac Hill was elected to the United States Senate. Through all these exciting scenes Mr. Pierce, though a young man, took an important part. On the 15th of June, 1830, a convention of the Democratic party was convened at Concord. An address and resolutions were adopted, which at that time were of great significance. They clearly define the nature of the Constitution; show how the extravagant system of ap