The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1885-07-18
GENERAL SHERIDAN'S HOME.
The Struggles of His Early Youth-Stealin
March on a Crowd.

The Struggles of His Early Notwithstanding
March on Crowd.
Somerset (Ohio) letter in Chicago News.
There is much in General Sherdan's life that
is kindred to the fortunes and misfortunes of
many Americans who have become illustrious.
In a community of little more animation than a
metropolis, and surrounded by Gegeneratng in
tuences, he advanced purely by the force of his
own energies and vigorous virtues. Born
March 3, 1881 his youth was constant struggle
between an Unborn desire for learning and the
inclination to initiate the human sleepiness he
saw on every side. The turnpike in Somerset
was in those days one of the great highways to
the new west Many week did young Sheri-
dan and his father break stone on 1t at six pence
a day and find their own dinners as the eldest
inhabitant delights to relate. From the CONVEX
sation of the passerby it that
the lads mind received its first con
fused impressions about the outside
world. The attrition, instead of inspiring dis
content, quickened his natural liking for study,
and soon afterward he made such progress at the
country school that he readily, upon application,
procured a clerkship in the store of Mr.. Huston.
His natural smartness and his proficiency in
arithmetic excited the interest-and finally Sc
cured him the friendsnip-of an amiable old gen
tleman who eventually instrumental In
placing him at West Point
| Sherdan's parents are plain, easy going Irish
| people, devout members of the Catholic church.
| They reside i'll white, vine-covered cottage
| about mile south of the public square His
sister Mary was kind-hearted lady, rather To-
quacious but withal noted for deeds of charity
| and sincere attachment to her church She mar
red John Wilson, a maio on her brothers staff,
| in 1863 and died year later Both of Sheri
| dams brothers were in the army, the one, Mich
ael, being his staff, and the other, John, serv
| ing private The latter had studied law,
| though nature evidently never intended him for
successful barrister. Near ehtedness
and distressful timidity before an audience
were his peculiarities. One Fourth of July dur
ing the War, John Sheridan had been invited to
deliver the Grafton of the day the celebration
| being largely commemorative Of General Sheri-
dams trumphs and patriotism. The orator arose
nervously, apparently wrestling with some
mighty thought. AT length lie said: Ladies
and gentlemen: Somerset is small place pausel
| that is, it is not very large" At this profound
reflection he blushed, coughed, took d drink of
/ water, wiped his spectacles, and replacing them
resumed: Ladies' and gentlemen: Somerset is
is a small place Hem! That is, tit is
not ve-very large" After having re-
| peated the complex operation of bushing,
coughing, drinking, and clearing the
mist from his spectacles he about to
| proceed with his painful panegyric on Some rset,
| when the shrill voice of his sister Mary inter
rupted: John nee Sher-i -dan, sit down and
| compose yourself" To the orator this sugges ton
was unspeakably welcome that he dropped
into his seat and was never heard in public
again.
During the war General Sheridan made only
one FlSlI uolue. EIaUofdIe pre- pdratlonS mao Oeen
made to do him honor He WAS escorted from
the stage coach to the family residence by cal
vacade of ural admirers. Then he excused
! himself and disappeared within. 1t was sup
| posed that the meeting would be an affecting
one and long confined but when the half hours
wait had merged into hour, and then into
| two, the crowd grew impatient. just then a
messenger arrived from town with the Generals
compliments and an invitation to meet him in the
| back room of Bill Dittons grocery. A march
| bod haau Cto1a fha tbrci acti I'd opJ
| for more than hour the General had been deer
in the mysteries of poker and old rye.