Show HOW persig GOT INTO THE W newspaper article leads him to seek admittance to west point SISTER TELLS OF HIS YOUTH kept appointment to academy secret from family head of expedition ary force was of quiet serious temperament as boy lincoln aeb it was a newspaper article which diverted john J pershing from his purpose to become a school teacher and started him upon the military career which led to his appointment as general in the united states army and commander ot the american expeditionary force in france the satorv Is told by general s als mrs butler and miss may per shang who arc residents of I 1 lincoln it was while general pershing and his sister now sirs butler were at tending the missouri state normal t chool at mo that his attention one day was called to new spa per announcement that were to be held for appointment to the est point military academy young asked his sisters advice as to whether he should try for the appointment and she advised him to do so then followed n short season of intensive stud in preparation in a few das he was called before the hoard and although am properly prepared received the highest mark among he contestants and soon afterward was notified of his ap up to this time his action biad been a secret between als sister and himself and it remained so until be was ready to start for est point assumed responsibility early As a boy general pershing his als sa was of a quiet serious tern pe assuming as the oldest of six children many of the responsibilities of the family john mrs butler said although of a quiet disposition liked a good time and enjoyed fun as much as a ny one yet when he started anything he wanted to get the result and he gen brally attained that object before he gave it up after having been graduated from west point and having served with general miles in a campaign in new mexico against the indian chief ge pershing was stationed as mil gitary instructor at the university of gen john y J pershing ills friends there remember bilm ns a fun loving young man who enjoyed music and dancing purties and other social activities and who appreciated a good joke old jack best the veteran trainer at the university remembered shang intimately he was one of the finest men that I 1 ever worked with said mr best it s true he w as mighty with his work but the results he got were so good that everybody lie worked with loved him tor it when he was here we had a regiment the university could be proud of usually he was mighty dignified in his work but he had a way of getting next to new men continued mr best the first time I 1 ever saw bint he walked right up lo 10 me slapped me on the shoulder and said well jack they tell me sou got along mighty well with my predecessor if you did I 1 am darned sure w e II 11 iet along just asa well general fond of gardening the boys at the university got n surprise the first day drilled them said mr best it had been their habit before that time to come to drill with shoes blackened or not just as they pleased when pershing took hold the first thing he looked at was to ee that all shoes were well blacked and that the heels looked as good as the toes he was just that thorough going in everything all the time ue was al in aery way and sou can ask anyone who knew him if bat jsn t the gospel truth odd as it may seem in a fighting man general one fad ac cording to his sisters Is gardening ills father was an expert gardener and the taste descended to the mill tary man he was on leave he immediately would don working clothes and go into his father s garden seemingly enjoying the work over the vegetables as much as he enjoyed social activities |