Birth of Franklin Pierce-Preparation for College-Anecdote-His religious friend, Zenas Caldwell-Solving a Problem-Military and Civil Law in conflict-Takes his Degree-Studies Law-Elected to House of Representatives-Made Speaker.

We now come, after a very hasty and brief sketch of his father's family, to the present General FRANKLIN PIERCE. He was born at Hillsborough, the 23d day of November, 1804. Being a child of strong promise, at an early age Gov. Pierce sent him out of town to obtain his education. An elder brother, then in the army, had the sagacity to perceive the powers of his mind, and was exceedingly anxious that he should receive a thorough education. For several years he attended school in the neighboring towns of Hancock and Francestown. While a resident of the latter town, he lived with the mother of the late lamented Judge Woodbury, who was a lady of superior mind and attractions. Over Frank she had a most beneficial influence, as he very often acknowledged. He left Francestown for Exeter Academy where he completed his preparatory studies, and entered Bowdoin College at the precocious age of sixteen, in the year 1820. During his first two years in college, Frank Pierce was not distinguished for his devotion to his studies. He was not

dissipated, but having naturally a full flow of spirits, he was a little wild. But among all his classmates he was extremely popular. Possessing frank manners and a generous disposition, it could not well be otherwise. Some of the members of his class have since become highly distinguished. A few of the names we will mention; Calvin E. Stowe (since Rev. Dr. Stowe,) was its brightest scholar. Among his intimate collegiate friends, were the Hon. James Bell, John P. Hale, the Free Soil Senator, and who, up to 1845, was one of his warmest friends, Jonathan Cilley, and that most beautiful of all American prose writers, Nathaniel Hawthorne. We have said that Frank Pierce was not, during his first two years, a brilliant scholar, owing to his fondness for society and his high spirits. While pursuing the study of Algebra, he one morning, in hastily running over his lesson for the day, came to an abstruse problem, which could not be solved without time and patience. Unfortunately he was not just then in possession of those valuable articles, and being in the room of his classmate, Stowe, and casting a glance at his slate, he saw the problem worked out most charmingly! It was the work only of a few minutes, and the copy on his own slate was complete. It was barely completed before the hour of recitation arrived. The tutor commenced with Pierce, half expecting that he would have failed in solving the problem, when, to his surprise, he saw the proper result upon the slate of the young colle

gian. He took the slate, looked at it, and said in his wonderment:

"Well, Pierce! where did you get this?"

Now Frank Pierce could no more tell a lie than he could be guilty of any other wicked and mean action, and supposing that the tutor was soberly asking him a question he wished answered, he replied:

"Where did I get it? Why, from Stowe's slate, to be sure!" The reply came with such a perfect sang froid, that the class burst into merry laughter, while the tutor, if he was displeased with Pierce's want of study, became thoroughly convinced of his honesty of character. And this has ever been one of the finest traits in his character. He has never so much as tergiversated. He can never lie-is never inconsistent.

He soon became acquainted in college with his class-mate, Zenas Caldwell, of Maine, brother of the late Prof. Meritt Caldwell, of Dickinson College. Zenas Caldwell died the year after leaving college, and was a most devoted Christian of the Methodist persuasion. He soon conceived a strong affection for Frank Pierce, notwithstanding his levity and youthfulness. It seems as though he must have had a presentiment that Pierce was destined to a life of extended influence and power, for he was exceedingly anxious to win him over to the paths of piety. It was in vain that Pierce tried to shake him off; he clung to him as a brother, not boldly and offen

HIS FRIEND, ZENAS CALDWELL.

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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 PresiIdent 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

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. He took the 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