Charles Carleton Coffin | Page 9

Henceforth he became

interested in the capacity of every portion of the country, which came
under his notice, for the roads, fields, gardens, and parks of peace, and
for the making of forts, military roads, and the strategy of battle. In a
word, the book and its study gave him an enrichment of life which
fitted him to enjoy the world by travel, and to understand the arena of
war,--theatres of usefulness to which Providence was to call him in
after-life.
In August, 1843, in his twenty-first year, he became a student at
Pembroke Academy. The term of ten weeks seemed ever afterwards in
his memory one of the golden periods of his life. The teacher, Charles
G. M. Burnham, was enthusiastic and magnetic, having few rules, and
placing his pupils upon their honor. It was not so much what Carleton
learned from books, as association with the one hundred and sixty
young men and women of his own age, which here so stimulated him.
From the academy he advanced to be teacher of the district school on
Corser Hill, in West Boscawen, but after three weeks of pedagogy was
obliged to leave on account of sickness. He passed the remainder of the
winter in lumbering, rising at 4 A. M. to feed his team of horses. While
breakfast was preparing he studied books, ate the meal by candle-light,
and then was off with his lunch of cold meat, bread, and apple pie.
From the woods to the bank of the Merrimac the distance was three
miles, and three or four trips were made daily in drawing the long and
heavy logs to the water. Returning home after dark, he ate supper by
candle-light, fed his horses, and gave an hour to study before bedtime.
The summer of 1844 was one of hard toil on the farm. In July he
became of age, and during the autumn worked on his brother-in-law's
farm, rising at five and frequently finishing about 9 P. M. It is no
wonder that all through his life Mr. Coffin showed a deep sympathy,
born of personal experience, with men who are bound down to physical
toil. Nevertheless, the fine arts were not neglected. He had already
learned to play the "seraphine," the instrument which has been
developed into the reed organ. He started the project, in 1842, of
getting one for the church. By great efforts sixty dollars were raised and
an instrument purchased in Concord. Mr. Coffin became the "organist,"

and also taught singing in the schoolhouse. Three of his nieces,
excellent singers, assisted him.
The time had now come for the young man to strike out in the world
for himself. Like most New England youth, his eyes were on Boston.
With a recommendation from his friend, the minister, he took the stage
to Concord. The next day he was in Boston, then a city of 75,000
people, with the water dashing against the embankment of Charles
Street, opposite the Common, and with only one road leading out to
Roxbury. Sloops and schooners, loaded with coal and timber, sailed
over the spot where afterwards stood his house, at No. 81 Dartmouth
Street. In a word, the "Back Bay" and "South End" were then unknown.
Boston city, shaped like a pond lily laid flat, had its long stem reaching
to the solid land southward on the Dorchester and Roxbury hills.
Young Carleton went to Mount Vernon Church on Ashburton Place,
the pastor, Dr. E. N. Kirk, being in the prime of his power, and the
church crowded. The country boy from New Hampshire became a
member of the choir and enjoyed the Friday night rehearsals. He found
employment at one dollar a day in a commission store, 84 Utica Street,
with the firm of Lowell & Hinckley. The former, a brother of James
Russell Lowell, had a son, a bright little boy, who afterwards became
the superb cavalry commander at the battle of Cedar Creek in 1864.
Carleton boarded on Beacon Street, next door to the present Athenæum
Building. The firm dissolved by Mr. Lowell's entering the Athenæum.
Carleton returned to his native town to vote. He became a farm laborer
with his brother-in-law, passing a summer of laborious toil, frequently
fourteen and sixteen hours, with but little rest.
It was time now for the old Granite State to be opened by the railway.
The Northern Railroad had been chartered, and preliminary surveys
were to be made. Young Carleton, seizing the opportunity, went to
Franklin, saw the president, and told him who he was. He was at once
offered a position as chainman, and told to report two weeks later. The
other chainman gave Carleton the leading end, intending that the
Boscawen boy, and not himself, should drag it and drive the stake.
Carleton did not object,