Madison times. (Tallulah, Madison Parish, La.) 1884-1???, 1886-04-24
HAMcocx's sCHOOLMASTeR.

There N;as one very old gentleman III
this city in whoSs heart the news sank
like lead. He was the lamented gener-
ais schoolm .stcr. Eliphat Roberts. lie
| is very feeLl. now. and he totters when
he walks. His head is covered with
thick. white hair. his sight is dim, and
his hearing is bad. He is 80 years old
TODAY. and it will be the saddest BIRTH
day, perhaps, he has ever known. No
newsboys shout adcxt-aswhere he lives.
away up town. in pretty Wilmington
| street, in the neat brick dwelling
house, No. 1.516. where he is tenderly
cared for by affectionate relations. 1t
was dusk last evening when a reporter
rang the bell. The old gentleman was
the center of the family circle in the coy
dining-room. Supper was finished, and
he had pushed back his big arm chair
and was looking into the CRATE fire. The
children lowered around him and listen
ed intently to one of his old-time stO-
ries.
1.-The gentleman wants 10 see you, UNI
cle," said bright little woman with a
cherry voice, and he slowly arose, half
turned. gave the strangers hand a cor
dial grasp. and asked him to sit down.
Tomorrow is grandpa's birthday"
4 lisped a wee little girl. who couldn't
contain herself and wanted to be hos
pitable. Then the same bright little
woman shook her finger at her and
smiled. Grandpa must have heard it,
for he smiled just little.
"You were Gen. Hancock's school
master?" qucried the stranger. Then
the dim eyes frightened, and he an
swered earnestly: Eyes, indeed, Twas,
and tell you, sir"
Here the bright little woman inter-
rupted him with: "Oh, that's uncle
great subject. He's just in ecstacy il
he can get anybody to talk about his
general
doesn't he know of his death?'
whispered the stranger. Four faces
blanched. four voices hoarsely said
mo" and the old man looked and won.
dered and arose from his big easy-chair.
Then the bright little woman-sad lit
tie woman now--put her face tenderly
to his, and said pathetically:
"Uncle, your brave pupil is dead"
Dead" said the old man in strange
voice ''Dead" and he dropped like g
log into the big chair and buried hi:
face in his hands. 1t was a crushing
blow to him. ...FL
The old schoolmaster was the first Il
break the silence. winfield came tc
my school in Norristown when he was
only z years DID, he said, land J
taught him for seven. years. l won'i
fatter him. He was just like Other
boys about studying his lessons, but
always liked the little fellow as 4 school
boy, and you know him as man. Thai
boy was q born commander. He hadn'
been at school six weeks before he haC
organized company and was captain
and he had them in good drill. too
Those schoolboy soldiers never though
of having any other commander. i re
member funny story about him. Ont
time the proud boy captain was review
ing his troops when the order cam,
5 from headquarters that he would have
to come in and wipe the dishes because
9 his mother was sick. The little fellow
: sheathed his wooden sword brayely fo
the apron and dish-towel, but his troop
stood at the kitchen window and taunt
t ed him so that finally, exasperated, h,
e chased the whole lot of them sever
r blocks with the towel. Il Yl..IFi Z
: Then again picked him up bodil,
e out of fight and carried him into the
r school-house. When he left my schoo
: he went to West Point, and l didn't Sc,
= him again for twenty-five years.
heard he had been. brought here from
4 Gettysburg wounded, and with SOM
trepidation as to how the great genera
: would receive me, went to the hotel t.
. see him. I'll never forget his welcom
in my life. He grasped both my hand
J and said: My old friend, could never
forget YOU. an. ,.....
"Then, one time after the war, whel
he was reviewing his troops, he wa
coming out of the La Pier hotis =, wher,
the Lafayette now stands, accompanies
I by his staff, and, edged my wa,
/ through the crowd just TO get glimps
, of him. The colored porter was YER
: officious, and was ordering me and 9th
ers off the steps when Hancock caugh
!. sight of me. He spraAgC between tn
porter and me, and, taking me by tn
= hands, brought me up on the steps an,
: introduced me to all the officers as hi
!. schoolmaster who had once saved hir
from being whipped In a fight by carry
ing him off.
). "One day last March I was sitting i
the parlor here and the door-bell rang
J. l opened the door and fine-lookin
man entered. He said: Don't 20
: know me?' My sight was bad then
:, and l didn't. Then he said: Il al
= Hancock 1t was a happy meeting
: He learned about my daughter Clara
: and wentfrorh here to Washington, an
by his influence got her in the mini