Lexington weekly intelligencer. (Lexington, Mo.) 1871-1887, 1882-05-20
THREE RED HEADED aoYs..
Anecdotes of the Youthful DayS OF
Justice Harlan. senator Vest
md GratZ RrOvn.

THREE RED HEADED s0Y5.
| Anecdotes of the Youthful DayA OF
! Justice Harlan. senator Vest
! and Gratz Brown.
IFrom the louisville (ty.) COMMERCIAL
In 1913 or 1914 there were three very
wild aud very red-headed boys living
on the same square in Frankfort. XIV.
and going to school to the same master.
Prot. G. b. Sayre, one OF the best educa-
tors OF the "id regime, aud nm "t
marked character and eccentririties.
| These three red-headed boys were Geo.
u. Vest. John Nj. Harlan anu b Gra,z
Brown. Brown was known by The
soubriquet OF "lseddy" Brown. Alter
school was out, and the aikness OF
night had thrown n veil OF comparative
protection over the apple orchards of
the neighborhood, the three boys would
gather ON the front porcn oI lne Vest
mansion and "talk." They usrd to
make wishes and resolves, and no reso-
luton stopped short OF the ultimate
presidency OF the United States Gao
| Of them is now An associate Justice ri
the supreme court. another United
| States senator from Missouri, and the
| other has been governor of Missouri,
| United States Senator, and in 1872 re-
ccIvcd the complimentary vote vi Tue
democratic eleoiors for vice. president.
The three have met in Louisville FREE
quently since boyhood, and these
| ieunions were always memorable ones.
at least to the three. One of the stories
told with particular delight by Senator
Vest ut the last meeting was OF Prot
Sayre's school. Sayre was q man Of
high temper, and wuen in n bad huu,ur,
was the cause OF terror to all his pupils.
Ono day, when the class was c,l.ed. he
was SO plainly out oi temper that tho
lesson was frightened out of the head
of every pupil. as David CoprcrfielL
''felt whole pages slipping away"
"Spell mouse !" he Called uut 10 tho
nimbly passed over.
was the next question fired ut the buy
with the precision OF = bullet.
''Mouses! answered tho frightened lad.
Next" cried the teacher, and every
boy IN the line lost his head, and ons
alter another answered "mouses,"
including Vest, Harlan and Brown. all
very Close to the bottom.
Mr.. Sayre's rage was complete. Be-
ginning ut the head Of the class,
he took every boy. one alter another,
by the ears and bumped his head against
the wall; and judicial. senatorial and
gubernatorial heads echoed as profound
and reverberatiDg thud 40 any OF the
others.
Young Vest graduated from Center
college. DanYille, III 1913, and returned
home 10 study medicine. Il was during
this time that he wrote legislative let
ters TO the old Courier, edited by Mr..
w. N. Haldeman. There were no reg.
ular reports, aud such thing as news.
paper reporter (as known now) had not
taken form. Young Vest wrote some
very eloquent and graceful letters about
politics and measures during one term
OF the Legislature. His medical studies
came to q sudden termination. He was
studying with an old physician, who was
called upon one day 10 perform q surgi-
cal operation upon the leg Of man who
had been injured by runaway horse.
Vest was called in to hold the bowl to
catch the flow OF blood. When the first
lnclslon was made he tainted dead away
at the sight. and was given up as an
unpromising student. He aiterward
graduated from the law department of
Irnnsylvania University, but newspaper
writing had tickled his fancy, aud he
went to OwensbOro, where he publish.
ed newspaper. This was probably the
Monitor, afterwards edited by Thos, s.
Pettin. At any rate. Vest renamed IN
O~ensboro only few months. 1t was
then so unhealthy thut he lett and soon
moved to Missouri. Up 10 this time he
had never made speech, and though
licensed to practice, had never been At
the bar. lie was going on horseb back to
Georgetown. Mo-, where he intended
to settle, and while riding along early
IN the morning overlook crowd Of men
having negro in charge, whom they
intenued to lynch for horse-stealing.
The future senator inquired into the
case, and finding that it was one merely
OF strong suspicion, asked permission
to make speech for the accused. Tie
mob agreed, and coming to halt, Vest
mounted stump and made an ELOQUENT
appeal tor justice and fairness, urging
them to deliver up the negro 10 the
courts for trial. His appeal had such
effect that after some discussion the
accused was marched of to Jail instead
ot the grave, and was subsequently, ac-
quilted.
10 the civil war, as is known, Gov.
Brown and hls boyhood friend, Vest,
differed. Vest wont into the gray ranks,
while Brown did nOole work Tor irr redom.
ihey did nut meet until after II was all
oyer, and then they came together in
Louisville. Brown WAS waiting IN the
old Planters Bank and Vest came in.
There was some embarrassment, but
Vest walked up.and extending his hand,
laid, heartily: ''Graiz. old fellow, how
are you ?" "First-raLe. George, how
are youP" responded Brown. ooh,
licked answered Vest with a laugh,
whipped out There was only ons
hing was afraid OF during the fighting
and that was that my boys would plug
.his red head OF mine from the rear,
it was Gratz Browns"