University of Virginia Library

Robert Sellars was one of the pupils
in our school — a bright, good-looking lad
in his teens, of an amiable, pleasant
disposition, always ready to perform a
service for another. He certainly never

lacked opportunities of this nature. Was
there some necessary duty to be performed
about the school building, and the question
was asked "Who will do it?" Robert's hand
went up first and highest always. I
remember one time hearing Miss Gardner
say that she was actually afraid she should
impose upon him because he was always
so ready and willing to do, that it made
it easy to ask him.
He was the oldest
son in a large family of brothers and
sisters, and I imagine he found ample
opportunity at home to exercise this
benevolent faculty of lightening the
burdens of others. I do not now recall
a single instance when I saw him
sulky or out of temper, neither do I
remember an instance of any one
being out of temper with him. It is not
easy to quarrel with one of his disposition.
He was sometimes careless, and forgetful
of his duties — enough so to severely try
ones patience, but only a very surly person
could retain his anger, in the face of
Roberts penitence for his fault. He was
a fairly good scholar although he was
not intellectually the equal of his two
younger brothers, Tilly and Joseph who
were in school at the same time. From
the very fact of his amiability he was
naturally the object of many good-natured
jokes, perpetrated by his friends and
schoolmates, all of which he bore with the
utmost serenity. There is an old
saying, "Beware the wrath of the peaceful man."
I have often wondered if Roberts wrath would
have been terrible to the extent of the injury
that would have been required to rouse it.

Sometime in the '70s I found him a position
with Dr. Hare of Westboro Mass. where I think
he remained for two or more years. Whether
he ever returned to his friends in Virginia I
do not know.