Among the latter were the majestic and
genial General Jeremiah Johnson, with others, Gabriel Furman, Rev.
E. M. Johnson, Alden Spooner, Mr. Pierrepont, Mr. Joralemon, Samuel
Willoughby, Jonathan Trotter, George Hall, Cyrus P. Smith, N. B.
Morse, John Dikeman, Adrian Hegeman, William Udall, and old Mr.
Duflon, with his military garden.
GROWTH--HEALTH--WORK
I develop'd (1833-4-5) into a healthy, strong youth (grew too fast,
though, was nearly as big as a man at 15 or 16.) Our family at this
period moved back to the country, my dear mother very ill for a long
time, but recover'd. All these years I was down Long Island more or
less every summer, now east, now west, sometimes months at a stretch.
At 16, 17, and so on, was fond of debating societies, and had an
active membership with them, off and on, in Brooklyn and one or two
country towns on the island. A most omnivorous novel-reader, these and
later years, devour'd everything I could get. Fond of the theatre,
also, in New York, went whenever I could--sometimes witnessing fine
performances.
1836-7, work'd as compositor in printing offices in New York city.
Then, when little more than 18, and for a while afterwards, went to
teaching country schools down in Queens and Suffolk counties, Long
Island, and "boarded round." (This latter I consider one of my best
experiences and deepest lessons in human nature behind the scenes and
in the masses.) In '39, '40, I started and publish'd a weekly paper
in my native town, Huntington.
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