Custer chronicle. [volume] (Custer City, Black Hills, D.T. [S.D.]) 1880-1890, 1886-03-06
JOHN BROWNS NEPHEW.
Larry Jerome In q New Character
IAN Indignant VirgInian.

Larry Jerome In q New Character
IAN Indignant Virg!nian.
Mr.. Larry Jerome has been amusing
himself again, writes "a Washington
correspondent Of the New York Star.
Coming over from New York to Wash
ington, a fow days ago, he found him.
self next to q young man from Vir-
ginia, who turned out be az irquisitiyo(
as he was fresh. Seeing that his COM
panion pinned for information with an
appetite truly omnivorous, Jerome
squared himself for a bowling time.
He lured the inquiring Virginian into
the smoking compartment, and, by tho
use of various arts whereof he is mas
Ter, launched him in a raging sea Of in
terrogation. Having discovered that
the youth was from Virginia and satur-
ated with the peculiar ideas of his sec
ton, jerome fired his bomb:
Pm going to Richmond"
"You arep Why, I'm from
'My uncle" ssid Jerome, twas
once quite prominent in connection
with Virginia. don't talk about it
much. because ! still feel sore, I'm
trying TO get over tho passions and
wounds of tho war, you know-terrible
thing, the war, wasn't itF"
Yes, terrible. But what"
I'm doing it, though. I'm getting
80 ! can travel through West Virginia
without wanting to Kill the leading
citizens. The bloody chasm is almost
bridged. If it wore not for my uncle |
shouldn't feel SO queer about going to
Richmond. I'm rather afraid of my
self. though. My uncle, you SEQ"
"Who was your uncle P' said the
Virginian, beside himself with Curl
osity.
''Oh, didn't l tell your Why. John
Brown was my uncle
John Brown! You don't mean-"
81 mean the sainted martyr, John
Brown, who was hung at Charlestown
hung by a set of bloody outlaws.
Why, when | think of that infamous
~butchery," shrieked Jerome, waving
his arms wildly about and making his
ewes protrude, II want to wallow in
Virginia blood. | feel as though the
sacrifice Of the mayor and city council
Of Richmond wouldn't take of tho
edge of my fury. Yes. sir, ! dol"
'Sir!" bawled the Virginian, as the
train shot into a Baltimore tunnel:
Il am a Virginian. You insult me.
You insult my noble state" Then tho
train shot into the open, disclosing the
youth, flushed, excited, ready to fight
the whole veteran corps, and tremh-
ling all owe with passion.
''Sit down, sit down." said Larry
sadly, pulling the reluctant youth
back into his seat. That's all over
with mo. Can't you let a stricken
nephew grieve over his martyred
unclep I'm too old for fighting. l
told-that's all"
The Virginian sat down rather GIN
gerly, looking at Jerome with doubt
full eyes as he went on pensively:
"You ought to have seen me when l
was with my regiment in '62. / loved
the battle. Ii I've killed one rebel I've
killed a hundred. Always with my
sword, sir-always. Those fellows all
wore their hair very long, didn't theHG
1t always amused me to see their hed
living around where | had been, and
all that absurd hair tousled about. Did
you ever notice itp No; / suppose you
must have been too young"
lit wouldn't have amused me, any
how" said the Virginian stiffly.
Wouldn't it, indeed How odd
Now, l always laughed consumedly at
our fellows who got killed. You know,
l commanded a regiment Of Vermont
ers. George Edmunds-he's a Sena-
tor now. but he was one of my lieuten-
ants then. Gallant fellow. George TBS.
Too much dash-too reckless you know
want to kill rebels oil the time. /
used to argue with him. but i. was no
good. He wouldn't take time TO sleep.
Just wore himself out. l never eX-
pected to sec him 60 through. He was
shot right through and through once
with a grape. That's what gave him
that red nose-reaiiy disfgured tho
poor fellow, / declare. But, "a | was
saying. | used 10 laugh at our fellows
when they got killed. ifesrtless sort
Of thing to do; | couldn't help myseA
You have beard-ever boon to Va
montp Mop Then you don't know,
hut you may have heard. what big feet
Vermonters have. Well. my fellows
had such big feet they couldn't fall
down. When they were shot they
would die standing, and then we'd
have to go round after the rebels had
run away and push the boys over with
poles. before cOuld bnYv am Fupni-
est thing you ever saw. Hello! Here
we are in Washington. Very glad to
have met you. See you in Richmondp"
And Jerome hustled out of the car.
leaving the Virginian speechless. and
the colored porter doubled up in con-
| vulsions on the floor Of the pantry.