The evening telegraph. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1864-1918, 1869-10-26
"Ior1syi1,r. Nav "a. 1861

'LouIsy1LIE, May "a, 1861.
Lake. think it great pity that young
man should go to a university to graduate n
traitor and a blackguard- SO ignorant as
to spell abolition with two BIS. G., d. p"
Prentice and William G. Brownlow, until a
few years ago, were devoted friends, and
during the early years of the war, when the
fate of the latter and his Tennessee compa-
triots hung in the balance. Prentice suffered
no little uneasiness on their account. He had
great regard for Maynard and Etherldge. who
were closely allied at that time with the pre-
sent Senator from Tennessee. But he was
especially anxious about Brownlow / was
in his room with him, acting as his amanuen-
sis, when he met them after their escape
He was debating when a knock came at the
door, and not wishing to be disturbed, he
called deep frown to his brow to warn un-
welcome intruders off
''Come in, he said, snappishly. The door
was quickly opened and three rather rough
looking figures stood in view.
Prentice, my old friend, how are you -
said hearty voice. --- ......
The two leaped forward and clasped one
another in n genuine embrace. ''Etheridge,
Maynard" and hearty shaking of hands
greeted the others. But to Brownlow. Prem
tice immediately turned his eyes and his at
the conversation that ensued. the two, as if
by one impulse, would grasp each others
hands and look affectionately into each others
eyes. Since the war these two old friends
have become bitter enemies politically. ]
cannot say that the old affection does not
still exist. 1t is, however, highly improba-
bile that they viii ever embrace SO cordially
again.
In appearance Mr. Prentice is short and
tl,,,, 1,,,41 1,, H,,
forehead is massive and fun, and his eyes are
very black and of the medium size, although
they are 50 oyershadowed by his shaggy eye
browse that at glance they are supposed to
be small and snaky. His nose is shapely,
his checks are full, and the whole con
tour of his face is round. , Hiss hair retains a
ietty blackness, but is thinly distributed over
his head, although only small space of the
scalp is actually bald. He is careless about
his clothes, ard feels utterly desolate in full
dress, which he is sometimes compelled TO
undergo on state occasions.
Mr.. Prentice was born in Preston, Connect
cut, on December =, 1903, and is consequently
nearly sixty six years old. He was graduated at
Brown University at the age of nineteen, and
became principal of a high school in Hart
ford He afterward edited the Hartford Re
rtelc, and became personal enemy of Mr..
Gideon Welles, who at the time was rival
eultOf i'll lne same IoWn. III lo,b' however.
he established the Journal in louisville, and
remained chief proprietor and editor of it
until few months ago, when, bya strange CON
catenation of circumstances, he lost his
partnership The paper since then has
been consolidated with its oldest rival
and he is employed upon it as an assist
ant editor The last ten years of his
life have been full of trouble to the old
man. During the war, Notwithstanding
his Unionism, both his sons went to the
Rebel army. The elder was killed i'll battle.
The younger, in personal affray in Virgil
mia, killed comrade, and was tried by mill
tary commission for murder. The old man
obtained leave from President Lincoln and
from jeff. Davis to pass through the hostile
lines, and remained at his sons side inthe
Rebel camp during the trial, which resulted,
partly through his efforts, i'll acquittal.
His wife, who was a musical composer of
considerable note and leader Of the TN in
his city, died only about a year and half
ago. Apparently, the aowery paths through
which he wandered to poesy have become
thorny and rugged at the end He teaches
in sorrow what he learned in song. He has
still the old fire, and his genius would yet be
dominant in Kentucky politics, fbut, forged by
circumstances to adopt creed in which he
has no faith, he does not work with his old
spirit lie let's younger heads and stronger
wills usurp his accustomed place. His J0Ul-
nat was his idol, but it has been taken from
the temple where he worshipped, and he and
his idol are none the better for the separation.
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