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Show What the Folks WayBack Home in Missouri Say About John J. Pershing - "John" Was a "Regular American Boy " Who Could Raid a Peach Orchard With the Rest of Them Aunt Susan Hewitt Says He Was "Good-mannered "Good-mannered and Obedient" "Never j Bothered His Head About Girls and j Frivolous Things" By Edgar White :. TTANXI13AU Missouri, famed as the home of Mark Twain, awoke the other morning with its "nose out of joint." Another Missouri town, hardly as large as a suburb of the lively "Bluff City," had come Into the limelight of the world's stage. Laclede. 100 miles west, with a population of only 770, was the birthplace of General John J. Pershing, commander of the American expeditionary forces. What adds to the sentimental interest is the town was named in honor of General Laclede, a patriotic Frenchman who helped the American colonists win their independence. independ-ence. And before frost comes the mighty pilgrimage of writers ,and ko-dakers ko-dakers will ask for no .stopovers at Hannibal, but will sweep indifferently through to the pretty prairie village . where tie illustrious soldier played ball and foot-and-a-half and "hare-an'-hounds" with Charley Spurgeon, Clay Bigger, Ed. Allen, Oscar Libby and others of the clan that went to school to Prof. C. M. Polly. Peaceful Country Town Over at Hannibal It used to be hard to run across a man who would admit he was old enough to be a school chum of Mark Twain's, but at Laclede all ' proudly confess that "John" and they were classmates. Because "John," you see, is quite a young man yet. Laclede hasn't got into the habit of calling now serving his country overseas, but in her mind sue only sees him as a j; small bare-footed boy, seated in her big kitchen, eating pies and cookies that she :j loved to make for him. t First and foremost Aunt Susan hr sisted on a vigorous denial of the village gossip that she once hid to spank "Johnnie" for something or other. "Never Stole Melons" "Ain't a word o' truth in it!" she declared de-clared vehemently. "Nobody ever had to spank that boy. He was good not the kind that gets into devilment; never heard of his stealing watermelons or hopping trains or being sassy to Anybody. Any-body. He had more sense. Even when he was a little shaver of five or six he had as much sense as some grown-ups that I know." Aunt Susan and her husband, Captain Cap-tain Hewitt, moved to Laclede in 1S64 and ran a hotel there some twenty-seven twenty-seven years. She had no children and the small boys of the town found in her a most sympathetic friend, especially when hungry, which was their normal condition. It happened that Aunt Susan and Mrs. Pershing became Intimate Inti-mate friends, and when the General was in Laclede thirteen years ago he spoke feelingly-of this fact "I always took to the boy." said Aunt Susan, "because he had such good manners man-ners and was so obedient. He liked to "John" Was a ."Regular American Boy," jf Ml f H , Fr"! Z7L r i j o uu nrrhnrri ' Lieutenant, Young t Who Could Raid a Peach Orchard N XZK That the World Wa With the Rest of Them m-MM kM- I VLZ rt AuntSusanHewittSaysHeWas"Good- US Zer mannered and Obedient" -"Never I h U M VM, He Was Considering Bothered His Head About Girls and ; .8 ) Frivolous Things P0. &&W and "Grand Stand 1 By Edgar White iMMi fefe', " n -me of Mark Twain, awoke, the in her mind sue only sees him as a M WhC '-WP fe I ' ! LA recommended you. So you may con- ki other morning with its "nose out of small bare-footed boy, seated in her b tfAfftfa 1 - AA J yours. But you had a It jo,nt." Another Missouri town, hardly kitchen, eating p.es and cookies that she 'fcM tP & ? as large as a suburb of the lively "Bluff loved to make for him. fe fMjKk H fellow from Brookfield over to see me 11 CUy." had come into the limelight of First and foremost Aunt Susan In & mafelfeW'H " ' the other day about the school, and he w the world's stage. Laclede. !00 miles sisted on a vigorous denial of the village & teil; VA , had good letters and stacked up all right r, west, with a population of only 770. gossip that she once hrf to spank I ; j 4M!teP P .,,71 on everything I asked him, but, Mr. a was the birthplace of General John J. "Johnnie" for something or other. teto &.lfe I WW PersWng. the dude wore kid gloves, in t! Pershing, commander of the American "Never Stole Melons" Mmltfe 'Wi S3f& WP i$ June! What do you think o' that?" v expeditionary forces. What adds to the "in't a word o' truth in it!" she de- kfPiM Pershing's first employment wast sentimental interest is the town was vehemcntly. ..Nobody ever had PAM ' K2tCM( W k$&&VM teaching the colored school at Laclede. s named in honor of General Laclede, a fei-'-siifeO.lHjrV. .-v; Mt'-K'p-- - ,fc;;:4;a feiHcfito He volunteered to do that because the B p o Frenchman who helped thV Ptlf' V P regular teacher had left for some rea- pat.iotic the kind that gets into devilment; never tf,:Sl Vfkvi"' '; ,'t .V-'-- W'.vrSS'-'. ' 1 'fijA- son and had not some one offered to . American colonists win the.r independ- watermel0n3 or fc, -W vacancy the school year would " ence. And before frost comes . the IVte.W . " mighty pilgrimage of writers nd ko-oay He more 1 Pi I " dakers will ask for no stopovers at . vp.5r;.vv;. V7"Wk'-'.V -.'-'.H : :sS: -sSSv aakeis win he was a little shaver of five or six he L--, k,.V-'- - '".. A : Hannibal but will sweep indifferently h3-;.l Yj-.r.': i'1 V r.''S '-v'.-... .'- TfAVr?-:1 . -.- i?' rtanmoai, uul h had as much sense as some grown-ups : :W lVl 'KfcCV--'- f ' - ' A 1 through to the pretty prairie village - WA :'' :: il ;:i':V"rv' -1-' :v'Hvv' J.-j 'vi- r mm : J -..rfr i? Qj&i ' that I know. ' r'-.V' l-VV -t'"-;-,' -iir 6Vi-rx-WAJki-nrL -.T"" - j-wsifcje.v.f-i. v , ? S',Z fa rVKr . where e illustrious soldier played ba. Aynt gusan f--: ' ti& l- ' ft Wtl ! and foot-and-a-half and "" teln H(nv,,:, r.;oved to T,(,e,ie ia !S,,4 V xl fcfcX R SMM JW'f tM$X i hounds" with Charley Spurgeon, Cay tere S0m6 twenty. 11 Ni KEf lipM , , J M f?fM Bigger, Ed. Allen, Oscar Libby and 1 VMt vrir-y7 Tp tPL , seven years. She had no children and - V'v: ';-' l-d; W K-fA;" r"3&S- -v' -J- r CW VCiaSX others of the clan that went to school ' ' X W f-Vi UvW ' si -jij' ftVN 7 . the small boys of the town found In her LM-.f :.T.Vi j: SSr';X!''-'-5,':'V'-'?J T xf'-' t2; l 1 C7i' ' - to prof, c m. pony. a most sympatheti0 rlena, especlally 0MMt4l0mSr JX' . 4a oyV 'r Peaceful Country Town when hungry, which was their normal l''MfK " '"' fTW' Over at Hannibal It used to be hard condition. It happened that Aunt Pp'i''?' Zy V j.'"-') to run across a man who would admit Susan and Mrs. Pershing became inti- kftfS Jt a i'ilg'' i he was old enough to be a school ciium mate friends, and when the General -4 I V?iLA o cVt?! of Mark Twain's, but at Laclede all was in Laclede thirteen years ago he Xi'Mf ' fef Jl PPP (V " : ? ":7r proudly confess that "John" and they spoke feelingly-of this fact MlfC U A- Vg .1 have been virtually lost to the ' were classmates. Because "John," you "I always took to the boy." said Aunt i'''3 vfc xTTa" rrf .mffiiW3' students. And it is said the see, is quite a young man yet. Laclede Susan, "because he had such good man- $C VV . S-f fJ' wfTZaS'Kl:1' volunteer teacher brought to hasn't got into the habit of calling ners and was so obedient. He liked to X WW$J ' 111 V Vl T?' Mi& his task the same energy and S$-V A 'viUiVlvSR'"' . devotion that has characterized Vt4 flr A- Jjfo l7 m his later efforts. KSl Wi&SM AKfP Jot- SVIrW "If you ask me the cause of r t'fe r (t7 VA H John Periling sucess I would TT p, 4 f ' , "3 A j yl L) .-iv lav it to good honest hard work," - f 5 I' ' 1 i'w'Vi 7 V ald Challe Spurgeon now with ' y "bHW K'.r -S . '1 w4XX ' ) Ci-iVV Brookficld He and I were about , 'Sb t, f ' -?? VJi' 4V Lri 'i the s me age and height, and we Jr, C " -'f S ' V frV- ;V v' 'benn scHool lite together in Laclede. JL i:kM&&- il 6 WyfV- " eweieditnct schoolteachers at the - T f-v, , . W ,i 1vVli -'' i'l.'lVCW ametime Oui livt i an close together - A ? &f&?' jt? .'' fiom the ge of twe,.e or thirteen Mntil . -'IX", fASi -J JrA1 u ' t--v 7 0 he wentto TA est Point As a student s, V - MVl t'Y iV"-' he wo.ked diligently at whatever there , ' WJ.V t 1 - A A -t- W'H. to do and looking Wk at him, I Old country ethoolhousc n here Gem tal Per hing began his public r ' ' H V ' , j , v ; e ,,- 1 I'f'l f career a a pedagogue 1 M ' , r. - i ' . ' - ' - ' him General' but it l quick to re ent u ten to older people talk Captain SVwHf-'' 'tt , iTW i nif xi ' s v. . nt.. it if an outlander forget the title Hewitt had been in the big war and R'.j.A 5 jl II MM - , ' t C-'r'1 x S .K, i -j.y In these davs Laclede is one of the 0f course he was fond of telling about Q - : J I i VffX Nv'v.-.t!?-.--:' . !-t--!':i:y'.'-iv,y. . , A quietest and most peacetul towns jou it. and 'Johnnie' was just as fond of I ,., , . 'r.rtl .":.!''.'.'''' -w i o;f:'-iiti :"j(iA:Jtrt;!.f,',i!i, 8 -1 'l' ''''''iK-r :'S.";?"'ts ".!',!:. :v S 'K:W XlJSivWjii' ever saw. except when there axe some listening, which showed he was a boy S . . JJ V ,, '" ':' - (..w r .(v--a vvs!s5liw.6l", tarry engines shunting cars about at that was trying to learn. . , t3 NS 'JS the junction, but during the four years Home From West Point ; : S V ' S following the birth of General Persuing ,.,..'....,.,.,( 3 Z 'Johnnie never bothered his head j d the villagers were kept in continual hot i , ; g - much about girls and frivolous things till S . water by roving bands of well, the ,., . . , . J ."-.'..'..' K ' p , ' ' ' " one Christmas he came home from West B if ' loyal people called 'em bushwhackers, ' Point to spend the holidays with the S s,1 t i ,-i p.-ol,;,,- unrn and the Southerners spoke of them as I The little Missouri homestead where General Fersliing v as coin folks. He had his uniform on, and the , 13 1 x 1 11"'"' "partisan bands." Anyhow, they raided I r,' y . : , , . , ,,. ton ouick " see that he had an important purpos stores, tired off guns and galloped their minute I laid eyes on him I saw he was , f t , , , el.eat a favor to be turned down and 'J in all he did. I don't know a, he wa horses through the streets like in the a g0ner- He Ut t0 the pona , - ... , - ' ' '1 - "'t -ant Hawk.ns , 10 th.n e J1 Um in any bl,ghter than the rest of the boy, where the young folks were skating -Ki.WriL4- '.""t-1vf-" 4M' were mollycoddles. &o we mt in genei ,lnu '''" 1 . . . j s but he had a settled conviction that i good old Wild West days. In 18.4 such mobbeJ him. Every one fe CAA; J 'A,-A ouS.y. There was a queer look on the eye and h.rn U e uth. & ou)d make somcthing ot himself b a crowd broke into the postouice and ,o siile j , ' . Hawkins's sophiHtlted ruce , a, he - e o , Lo, d & watermelon hard k he to do It H store of John F. Pershing, the Gen- M V'.,-' X . A." fW t us commence baling out the -uipiu uii i hut He won't stand was of a quiet, methodical temper: - cral's father, and helped themseives. UnitOTm' and Johnn!e' aCCOmmodated Mt M a"d doubtless ling" ment. but had the courage that belong 'em all. He was always good-natured. '""Jlf 5 1 when we staggered around to opposite toi IMng. Then the leader got on a drygoods fa, h-ivstick where we'd have Dr. w. P. Spurgeon lived just across j- - - w box and made an apdogy. He said he BUt WhC" he BOt thTOU6h he W3S S Sin" Ihat awful day I've the street from the Pershing home. The V had come to liven up Laclede because tUCkered OUt' POOr fe,,0W! 1 vs smiled when I heard peopie talk two families were on terms of Intimate 1 v. - Old country schoolhousc where General Pershing began his public I career as a pedagogue j him "General.'' but it is quick to resent it if an outlander forgets the title. In these davs Laclede is one of the quietest and most peacetul towns you ever saw. except when there axe some tarry engines shunting cars about at the iunction. but during the four years following the birth of General Persliing the villagers were kept in continual hot water by roving bands of well, the loyal people called 'em bushwhackers, and the Southerners spoke of them as "partisan bands." Anyhow-, they raided 1 stores, tired off guns and galloped their horses through the streets like in the good old Wild West days. In 1S61 such a crowd broke into the postoflice and store of John F. Pershing, the Gen-- Gen-- cral's father, and helped themselves. Then the leader got on a drygoods box and made an apology. He said he had corne to liven up Laclede because ' "the other side" had been down to his ' town Keytesville stirring things up. , Listen to Aunt Susan! General Pershing was only four then, r.nd of course was not much concerned In political matters. Aunt Susan Hewitt seems to be the Laclede authority en the General's boyhood boy-hood days. That's what everybody said and she proudly admits it. Aunt Susan she requested that he be so designated was found in her arm chair In her pleasant cottage on a green lawn ne:ir tlio southwestern edge ol town. The old lady she is well along lr the seventies is partially paralyzed, bul her mind is clear and her eyes lihtcr-wiMi lihtcr-wiMi pk-.-iNiire w'hrn siie w;i..s asked U talk about ".lohnnin." as she (.-filled him fcho undr,i :, lands ho is a njut tuldici listen to older people talk. Captain ' Hewitt had been in the 'big- war. and of course he was fond of telling about it. and -Johnnie' was just as fond of listening, which showed he was a boy that was trying to learn. Home From West Point 'Johnnie never bothered his head much about girls and frivolous things till one Christmas he came home from West Point to spend the holidays with the folks. He had his uniform on, and the minute I laid eyes on him I saw he was a goner. He went out to the pond where the youns folks were skating and the girls mobbed him. Every one of 'em insisted on skating 'longside that uniform, and 'Johnnie' accommodated 'em all. He was always good-natured. But when he got through he was most tuckered out, poor fellow!" When General Pershing was In Laclede thirteen years ago they gave him a reception at ono of the pleasant homes which make the place distinctive, and he took Aunt Susan as his partner, driving for her in a stylish buggy. "I didn't want to go I mean I made on like I didn't want to as he had so many other friends here he might have gone with." said the old lady, "but he told me I just had to go, and there isn't anybody that couid say 'Xo' to 'Jolin-j 'Jolin-j nie' when lie made up his mind to do a thing. And, do you know, when we was at the party 'Johnnie' showed me ' as much attention as if I was a prin-f prin-f cess or something big?" l A boy n.-imed Hawkins was the "Huck t Finn" of La-lo!e. lie had been a train j butcher, and stood in the s.-irpe giddy altitude to the boys along the line that the steamtinfit pilot or mate did to t lie Tom Sawyers on the uliorcs of Uie Ml;;-r Ml;;-r si:-uipli in Mark Twain's shorl-trouser Aunt Susan-Hew itt, who remembers re-members General Pershing as a "well-mannered and obedient hoy" days. And Hawkins could chew tobacco and release it like an expert. All the boys at Laclede envied his superb and manly nonchalance in handling the weed, among them young Pershing and his brother, James. James, with a twinkle in his eye. told what happened. "John and 1 had been intrepid enough to tackle a smoke on two or three occasions, occa-sions, but we had never completed our accomplishments of taking a chew of plug until Hawkins invited us," said James Pershing. "We were twelve and fourteen at the time we were initiated. John may have forgotten it. but I haven't. We looked upon it as a ti e-nn-ndous ...ii.ls!oiisim for a blase rail-,.;l,l,.,- like Hawkins to trn.lor us a bite out of his plus of navy. It was too great a favor to be turned down, and we didn't want Hawkins to think we were mollycoddles. So we bit in generously. gener-ously. There was a queer look on Hawkins's sophisticated face as he saw us commence 'baling out' the surplus water, and he doubtless understood when we staggered around to opposite sides of a haystack where we'd have more room. Since that awful day I've alwavs smiled when I heard people talk about being sick at sea they don't know what misery is. Somehow- we never had the same veneration for Hawkins we had before we thought he oughf'to have told us." One Sunday the peach orcliaia ul Farmer Margrave, near Laclede, was raided. John and James Pershing wero among the crowd forming the expedition, expedi-tion, and the owner came out before the job was thoroughly completed. But the keen-eyed youngsters saw him coming com-ing and got away before he recognized any of them. There was a big scandal in the village next day. It was a quiet. Sunclay-so-lo-meet in' community, and for boys to raid an on-hard on Sunday was a sensaliiui. John and .lames talked it over, and John d.-ci.led the tiling to do was to tell his fath'-r. and take a licking, or whatever was comin:-. The old g.-ntlem.-in listened to John's candid recital, nn.l asked: "Got any of his pr.a. 'nes, .InlinV" "No, sir. we had to leave too quick." "Well, should he ever ask you if you and Jim were in that crowd look him in the eye and tell him the truth. I guess the good Lord understands what a temptation an orchard or a watermelon patch is to a boy. but He won't stand for lying." Dr. W. P. Spurgeon lived just across the street from the Pershing home. The two families were on terms of intimate friendship. Young Pershing was an applicant ap-plicant for the teachership of the Prairie Mound district school, south of Laclede. He requested Doctor Spurgeon Spur-geon to write him a letter of recommendation recom-mendation to the chairman of the school board, Captain Henley. Doctor Spurgeon, Spur-geon, who was well acquainted with the captain, promptly wrote the letter, and next day Persliing started out to see the powerful man of the board. He was driving a good horse and buggy, and in accordance with tho custom of many young men of the day, wore kid gloves to drive with. Doctor Spurgeon advi-ed: "Take those things off. John, before you go into Cap Henley's house." Perching smiled, and remeniherd the caution. Tho president of the hoard scrutinized the letter of recoinmenda-i recoinmenda-i Hon. and then asked Pershing somo .-..arching questions. Tour inter is all right," admitted Home From West Point as a Young Lieutenant Young Pershing Regretted That the World Was at Peace and He Never Would "Get a Chance" as a Soldier He Was Considering the Study of Law. Always Disliked "Fuss and Feathers" , and "Grand Stand Play" Captain Henley, "and I guess you're all right or Doc Spurgeon wouldn't have recommended you. So you may consider con-sider the job yours. But you had a close call, Goung man. There was a fellow from Brookfield over to see me the other day about tho school, and he had good letters and stacked up all right on everything I asked him, but, Mr. Pershing, the dude -wore kid gloves, in June! What do you think o' that?" Pershing's first employment was teaching the colored school at Laclede. He volunteered to do that because the regular teacher had left for some reason, rea-son, and had not some one offered to All the vacancy the school year would AAAJ have been virtually lost to the students. And it is said the volunteer teacher brought to his task the same energy and devotion that has characterized sS s-ll Ins later efforts. SS "If vou ask me the cause of s John Pershing s sucess I would lav it to good, honest, hard work," said Charley Spurgeon, now with the Tooev Mercantile Company at "Brookfield. "He and I were about the same age and height, and we s ? began school life together in Laclede, i We were district school teachers at the i same time. Our lives ran close together i from the age of twei"e or thirteen 'until : he went to West Point. As a student he worked diligently a whatever there was to 'do. and. looking bank at him, I The little Missouri homestead where General Pershing was born see that he had an important purpose in all he did. I don't know as, he was any brighter than the rest of the boys, but he had a settled conviction that if he could make somcthing of himself by hard work he was going to do it. He was of a quiet, methodical temperament, tempera-ment, but had the courage that belongs to the good soldier and was a believer j in strict discipline. Withal he was y-kindly y-kindly and good-natured, and everybody j liked him. After he had been at West Point some time and had become second lieutenant he was here on a visit, and while we were driving out together he v remarked with a shadow of regret that J all the world was at peace and thaif there would be no more wars; nations "Site would settle their differences by arbl- tration, and he didn't see much pros- j peets ahead for a soldier. He was con- v Bidering the study of law, but admitted he was not enthusiastic over it" - "When John Pershing strikes he will strike hard," declared Clay C. Bigger, an attorney, a littre oiaer man jtoi suing, su-ing, but who attended the same school in Laclede. "Whatever he goe.T at he puts in every ounce of power he's got. My judgment is that if they give him the proper force and equipment he will find a way to break through the German Ger-man battle line. John Pershing is big enough for the job. The man has inv ,C mense reserve power that has never yet been brought into play. He has grown steadily just ahead of what he had to do, and when the time comes he will demonstrate the wonderful soldierly qualities with which he is gifted. All his life has been a preparation for some- thing like this. He is a born leader. That was shown on the playground, in the schoolroom as teacher, in the fields at work with the men. His schoolmates all respected him and in teaching he showed unusual executive ability. He has a natural capacity for handling men and inspiring them so as to get the best results from their work. That . I thing was noticed here and it has been I marked by those who have studied his . I succeeding career. An individual thinker ' J -himself, he encouraged others to work 1 , out their own problems. Only the other day I noticed by the papers he stated as one of the qualifications of a good soldier was the capacity to think for i himself in order that he might be ready J for individual action In case of emer- J gency. And that is exactly in line with ; his work here as a student and as a teacher." All Laclede talks eagerly about the soldier "from our town," and while the people refer to various incidents and traits, according to their several view- points, all agree as to his modesty and , dislike for "fuss and feathers" and "grand stand play." "He Stood for Fair Play" "You will never hear John Pershing tell anybody what he is going to do," remarked A. J. Caywood, former post- master at Laclede, and for twenty-seven years publisher of the Blade. "If he has anything in mind the first you'll hear about it is after it has happened. The secret of Jiis success in handling men is his sympathy witli them. The y. trouble of the humblest man In the ranks is a matter of concern to General Pershing. He's always stood for fair play, and he believes that capacity for leadership is shown in a willingness to obey. Laclede looks with confidence to his work overseas and believes implicitly im-plicitly the nation's honor is safe in his , hands." In the heart of Laclede is a beautiful ' shaded park, with graveled walks, rus- . tic benches and a grand stand for the . band and for public speaking. Soon there will be another feature there. It will be a large statue of the American . commander who w.as born within a few blocks of the park. A committee is already at work on the enterprise. Laclede has planned General Pershing's Persh-ing's career for a few years ahead. When the war is over and democracy reigns in Europe they're going to run . " him for President. "Then they'll quit poking fun at us for our two United States Senators." observed a native prophet. : f :. i: A, -. v u; , i " vt!S.; "- v .. .. ...... .v v,v ' I I ' " "" : The 1'ersliing homo in I.aolcdv. Mo., to wlii.-h ilu- family moved . soon alter the birth of tho illuslrious-to-bc hoy |