The weekly clarion. [volume] (Jackson, Miss.) 1863-1882, 1878-05-15

1AShtOi ACS VI NY
have perhaps been prolix in this
chapter. [ could not do justice to the
memory OF my friends of after days by
saying less.
Judge Augustus B. Longstreet was
peculiarly humorist. He was a dis
tinguished lawyer, equally so as a judge,
and divine Of eminence. Was the
President of three colleges, and eminent
as a teacher and trainer Of youth. Yet
when the fame he earned III each and all
of these vocations shall have passed
from the public's mind, his Georgia
Scenes will preserve his name in I'M
dimmed splendor.
In the conclusion of this chapter |
must relate one of his Georgia scenes,
known to but few, and which was by
him narrated to me now fifty seven years
ago.
was admitted to the bar fifty-seven
years ago, in Washington, Wilkes county,
Georgia. 1t was on Sunday preceding
the meeting of the Superior Court for
Wilkes county that rode with Judge
Longstreet from Greensborough, the
village of his residence, to Washington,
Wilkes county.
We had both received our legal edu-
cation at the law school conducted by
those eminent jurists, Tapping Reeves,
the brother in law of Aaron Burr, and
James Gould, at Litchfeld, Connecticut.
had but Just returned, after having
completed my course, and was on my
way to apply for admission to plead and
practice law. We were on horseback,
and the distance was short, and we rode
leisurely, talking over our student ex-
perences, and enjoying many joke
connected with names then eminent, who
had been educated legally at Litch6eld;
all of whom have long since passed away.
OF all the Georgians there educated IN
the law know of but one, save myself,
now left in the State, the venerable
James Clark, of Atlanta, now more than
eighty years of age.
AS we journeyed We were, bout noon,
passing a farm house, which was not
very far from the highway, when rein
ing up his horse cold Panther" chow
well | remember the noble old sorrel, )
he asked me if | was hungry. Being
answered in the affirmative he continued
pointing to the house: .Yonder lives a
well TODD man. His wife is an old
friend of mine, and / have a capital
story to tell you, after we get our dinner
in relation to our early acquaintance.
But remember, it is to be kept a pro-
found secret 1 like to tell good story,
even if it is at the expense of appearing
ridiculous myself" Just as we turned
from the road to go up to the house, we
met servant, who, to our inquiry, in
formed US that the family were absent.
We turned and pursued our way to
Washington.
Now, for the story" remarked, cit
will answer for dinner"
81 suppose So" he replied, "if the old
saw is truthful, which says, laugh and
grow fat"
When was fitting for college, my ia
Their felt there was no man in G~cir;o
so competent TO ih l.c task as Father
= NJ -1e...lIngs, Presbyterian minister up
board in the country, and be away from
influences about Augusta, our home,
that might keep me from studying. My
father was not wealthy, aud it was a
pretty tight squeeze for him to spare the
money for my education.
When I came up here, found parson
Cummings had more pupils than he
could accommodate with board; so |
was compelled to find board in the neigh
borhood. / did so at the house of this
woman's father over here. He was a
stout, staid old gentleman, with alder
manic proportions; a strict member of
the church, and regular attendant upon
the weekly service. His wife was a lit
tie weasel faced woman, with a sharp
nose always red at the point, and with
an eye as black as a sloe and sharp as
lancet She rarely said much, but what
she did say was sharp and to the point.
Their daughter, Ann-that woman over
there-was about my age, rosy, plump
and pretty. and amply imbued with the
spirit of mischief.
One Sabbath day, Nancy, as the fam
lily called her, was away on visit to a
neighhor, where she had spent day or
so. did not go to church with the old
people, but remained to prepare my les
sons for the morrow. knew my tutor,
who was the preacher, would rather l
should miss attendance at church dozen
times, than 10 be deficient in recita
ton.
The house was one of those old fash
Toned houses, yet common in Georgia,
with two rooms in front, and two rooms
back-shed rooms, you know, with two
rooms in the attic. One of these attic
rooms was Nancy's, neof theshed rooms