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THE GREEN BAG
sound morality of his father's household of his college mates, his diligence and ready had no small share in molding the character grasp of knowledge enabled him to remove of the future jurist. In the rude school all his entrance conditions during his fresh of his native district Jonathan sought and man year. received instruction until he was eleven The expenses of his tuition were defrayed years of age, after which his services were largely by his own earnings, though when, in demand upon the paternal acres during in 1851, he obtained his coveted degree, he the outdoor season. Nevertheless, until he owed his father two hundred and seventywas seventeen years old he continued to four dollars, which had been loaned to him. attend the district school in winter. At In 1885 his Alma Mater conferred upon him the age of eighteen, through the energetic the well-merited degree of LL.D. During the first year after his graduation application of an active mind, he had be the future jurist taught in the academy come qualified to take up the teacher's at Craftsbury, Vt., and the four succeed ferule and lead others in the way of knowl edge, and for seven successive winters he ing years in the academy at Chelsea, Vt. taught in the schools of Vermont, Mass During the last two years of his residence achusetts, and New Hampshire. Assisted by in Chelsea he read law in the office of his earnings he was enabled to attend parts William Hebard, whose three years' service of two fall terms in a select school in Water- as judge of the Supreme Court were marked ford, and part of a term in Phillips Academy, by faithful and efficient service. The future in Danville, Vt. In the autumns of 1844, lawmaker was admitted to the Vermont Bar 1845, and 1846 he was under the tutelage in Orange County Court, at Chelsea, at the of James K. Colby, at St. Johnsbury December term, 1855, and in the spring Academy, St. Johnsbury, Vt. The spring of 1856, took up his residence in St. Johnsand early summer of 1847 were spent at bury, Caledonia County, Vt., which was to the same institution and in the following be his home for the remainder of his life. autumn he matriculated at Dartmouth He was assistant at St. Johnsbury Academy until the summer of 1856. In May, 1856, College. During the youthful days of Jonathan he formed a partnership for the practice Ross, great changes occurred in the con of the law with A. J. Willard, and this ditions of country life — changes which did connection continued until 1858, after which much to stimulate curiosity, comment, and he was in practice alone until 1865, when thought. Friction matches displaced flint he was associated with G. A. Burbank. and steel; stoves took the place of the This connection lasted twelve months and large brick fireplaces; kerosene oil relegated was succeeded, in 1869, by partnership with tallow dips to obscurity; steam and elec Walter P. Smith, at present Judge of Pro tricity wrought the annihilation of time and bate for Caledonia County. distance, and manufactured goods came in Early in his professional life, which cov to replace the toilsome products of the way ered the years between 1856 and 1870, Jona side forge and the hand loom. These mani than Ross demonstrated the possession of fold forces were at work, revolutionizing the qualities that make for success. The the habits of thought and enlarging the scanty stock of learning acquired after a field of vision of the rising generation. bitter struggle and therefore the more With a mind well trained by close and tenaciously retained, growing in due course systematic study, ever on the alert, and to gain momentum of its own weight, with a determination to succeed, young coupled with a discrimination well nigh Ross entered upon his college course. infallible and a determined adherence to Though ill prepared, as compared with some the right, clearly called public attention to
