Page:Lives of the presidents in words of one syllable (1903).djvu/71

 the same side. Mr. Ty-ler's work was law. He was not rich, for fees were small in those days. He had some ground and a home at Charles Cit-y. Here, in March, 1790, his son, John, who, in due time, was to be Pres-i-dent of the U-ni-ted States, was born.

Life in that home was most glad for the small boy. He knew naught of the war which was then in the land. He was but six years old when Wash-ing-ton gave his "Fare-well Ad-dress." Book work went on at home for the lad and all else came at the right time.

From the first it was clear that the child would go on in his fa-ther's steps. He grew fond of books, kept at work, and soon was fit for Will-iam and Mar-y Col-lege, where he staid till his course came to an end in 1806. Then he read law with his fa-ther. He had nice ways, wit, was kind, and made friends.

In 1808 young Ty-ler's fa-ther came to be Gov-er-nor of his own State. This was a help to the son who found a high post ere he was a score and one years old. Five years at this work made the young man feel that there were steps that he might take were it not that there were scores and scores of men with more years and more right to fame than he had, but, in spite of all this, in 1816, he had a call to serve his State, and, in time to come, was Gov-ern-or of Vir-gin-ia.

In 1840 folks who took the side which went by the name of Whig gave their vote for John Ty-ler for Vice-Pres-i-dent when Har-ri-son was to be Pres-i-dent. But Har-ri-son was dead in a month's time, and the Vice-Pres-i-dent Ty-ler took the chair as Pres-i-dent.

He had not been long in his seat when the Mor-mons