Page 157 - La Société canadienne d'histoire de l'Église catholique - Rapport 1961

ICkXOLLECTIONS OF WISCONSIN SINCE 1820.

BY COL. EBENEZER CHILDS, OF LA CROSSE.
I WAS born in the town of Barre, Worcester county, Mas-
sachusetts, April 3d, 1797. At the age of ten, I was left an
orphan, and never inherited a cent from any person. I was
turned loose upon the wide world without any one to advise or
protect me, and had to struggle through poverty.
I remained in my native State until 1816. I was then nine-
teen years of age, and was hard at work at fifty cents per day,
when the Town Collector called on me for a minister tt~x.
llllc amount was one dollar and seventy-five cents, which
appeared to me like a large sum to pay a minister, who per-
formed no manual labor. I told the collector I had no money,
and inquired what would be the consequence if I failed to pay
the tax? "Pay or yo to jail," was thc reply; I did'nt like
the jail alternative, so I told the collector he must wait until
I could get some money. He consented, and called again in ct
few days; but I was still moneyless. IIe insisted on the
payment of the tax; I finally put him off until the next
Monday, promising to get the money on Saturclay, and take it
to him in time on hlonday, so he could make his returns, as
that was his last day. It began to be close times with me-I
must pay, go to jail, or run away. I determined on the latter
course, settled wit11 my employer on Saturday night, who paid
me for my services, and made the necessary preparations for
a quiet departure.
With a fine pony, and a few articles of clothing, which I
packed into an old pair of saddle-bags, I started on Sunday
morning after the people had gone to church. I went as much
as I could across lots, and along unfrequented roads, in order
to get past the church without being discovered. Indeed, I
resorted to as much caution to get out of town as I should
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