Page:Lives of the presidents in words of one syllable (1903).djvu/130

 the land, and what they had done in life. He was fond of books from the start. He went to work when quite young to earn for his moth-er. He knew the use of tools and soon got on so well that he had the means to buy books and fit for Hi-ram Col-lege, where he went in 1851. As his sums did not last out, he paid his way by care for the fires; he rang the bell, too, swept the floor, and did all the work he could find to help on the good cause. In 1854 he was fit for Will-iams Col-lege, which was then in charge of Dr. Mark Hop-kins. At that time he could preach and thus earn sums so that he might stay to the end of his course.

In 1858 Gar-field wed Miss Ru-dolph whom he had known a long time. He was then put in charge of Hi-ram Col-lege and did well there. His state sent him to the Sen-ate but still he kept his school work.

When the first fire of the Sum-ter gun was heard in the land and the Pres-i-dent made his call for men, Gar-field left his books, made a speech at Hi-ram, and in two scores and eight hours troops were made up, Gar-field put at their head, and, in De-cem-ber 1861, the 42nd O-hi-o set out for Ken-tuck-y.

All Gar-field's work was of the best and he went up from post to post. He was made Chief of Staff of the "Ar-my of the Cumberland" and rose to the rank of Ma-jor-Gen-er-al. He was in Con-gress from 1863 to 1881. He was made U-ni-ted States Sen-a-tor in 1881, and that same year was the choice of the land for the Pres-i-dent's chair.

The Gar-fields gave up their plain home in Wash-ing-ton, and with their five young folks went to the White