The Anderson intelligencer. [volume] (Anderson Court House, S.C.) 1860-1914, 1880-11-25

went away from Raleigh I lost track of
him, but always said ne was bound to
be great man, and I knew would hear
of him some day. Well, | worked on,
and my boys got big enough to help me.
I was never great man to save money,
however, and when the rainy day came,
wasn't prepared. The war came on,
and, although I was too old to 60 myself,
I told the boys to 60 in my place, and
do all they could to help whip the Yam
KEGS. You know ne all thought Ken.
tucky, Tennessee and Maryland would get
our independence. You recollect how
Andy loomed up in them days. I heard
about it, and says to everybody that's
our Andy for I knew he was found to be
great man some day. People laughed
at me, but felt sure it was him, and
when I heard about that speech at Nash
Vile, and how he defed them, I knew it
vas Andy. Well, Andy he thought one
way and thought another. He thought
be was right and knew I was. We did
all we could, and three of the boys gave
up their lives for the South, Bill and
John at Gettysburg aud Jimmie down in
Georgia, fighting Sherman. Tom, here"
with nod towards the broad-shouldered
man, "was our baby, and I hated to see
him 20. He was working al Fayetteville,
and one day got letter from him, in
which he said that he had listed in the
old Fifteenth Infantry. I got one other
letter from him, and the news came
that he had been killed at Cbancellors.
ville His old mother took on powerful
about it. She Away was a weakly sort
of q woman, and just pined away like,
mourning for Tom. She didn't live
more'n three months, and when see died
just give plumb up. They started
company of home guards out of the old
men to do guard duty at Salisbury prison
and Joined 'em. We had a tolerable easy
time, but I got wet one night, took sick
with the bilious fever and liked to have
died. When I did finally get we'll the
rheumatism took hold of my bones, and
there were three months at time when
| couldn't touch my foot to the ground.
What little money I had went, and when
the surrender took place I had about $40
left in Confederate bills and $5 gold
piece. One of my sisters lived in Cataw-
ba county, and I wrote and asked her if
she would let me come and spend the
few days I had to live at her home. Her
husband vote back that / was welcome
to such as they had, and spent my SIS
gold piece to get to Fem. They were
monstrous poor, and had large family
of children. Although they were mighty
kind to me, I could see that was bur.
den to them, and I made up my mind
to 60 to the infrmary. The rheumatism
crippled me up 30 bad that couldn't
work on the bench, aud tell you, stran-
ger, things looked mighty dark for q
'childless, wifeless old man. One day |
was studying over my hard fortune, and
thinking what to do, I picked up paper
and the first line on the page caused an
idea to fash into my head. 1t was
something about the President, and I
says,
'1'LL GO TO ANDY;
he will perhaps do something for his old
friend I thought at first I'd write, and
then concluded to 60 in person. l had
no money to pay railroad fare, but my
brother-in-law fixed up little bundle of
clothes, and my sister cooked me some
rations, and I started out afoot. 1t was
long march, mister, but kept moving
on, and people all along the road was
powerful kind to me. / think | was
about ten weeks making the trip. A tai
lor who used to work with me in Raleigh
lived in Alexandria, and I stayed all
night with him. The next morning
got up bright and early, brushed up my
clothes and walked across the Long
bridge. I strolled around the city until
mighty nigh noon, and then inquired for
the White House, and boy directed me
to it. When I got there saw so many
fine gentlemen and ladies going in and
out that [ was almost dishearten
ed, and I turned back two or three times.
You see, mister, I thought that if Andy
had such fine visitors as them wouldn't
stand much ofa show of seeing him. But |
judged him wrong, sir; judged wrong.
T followed the people into the house,
and fellow all covered with gold lace
showed me into room where | was to
sit until Andy was ready to receive vsi-
tors. waited half hour, maybe, when
two big doors atone end Of the room were
opened, and another fellow in uniform
cried out:
THE PRESIDENT
"I went in with the rest, and there
stood Andy on little platform shaking
hands with this one, and speaking word
to that one. sorter hung back to have
good look at him. 1t had been many
years since I saw him, but I knew
him in minute. His hair was thin
ner and turning gray, but he was
the same old Andy. Before knew it
I had hold of his hand, and a fellow
whispered my name which they made me
write on little card. He wasn't looking
at me when he first took my hand, out
when the fellow in gold lace spoke, he
leaned over and looked in my face.
"God bless my SOUL said he, 'it's my
old friend Tom Lomsdenl' and then he
turned to the officer and said something.
The officer shouted, The reception is
over and Andy, still holding my hand,
led me back into little room behind the
big one. There were lots of great men
there, Senators and Generals and Cabinet
officers. and Andy introduced me to 'em
all. Andy wasn't proud man, sir, and
although he was President, he wasn't
ashamed Of me in my homespun. clothes
or afraid to acknowledge that we had
worked together on the tailor's bench in
old Raleigh.
"This is my old friend Tom Lomsden,
gentlemen he said, calling each one Of
'em by name. 'We worked together on
the tailor's bench in Raleigh, forty years
ago. And the gentlemen all shook
hands with me and inquired after my
health, and I was just crying all the time.
Andy saw it, and excused himself from
the great men and took me back into his
own private room. Tonl,' be says, and
/ remember his exact words, Tom, old