Morning journal and courier., 1890-06-14
MIR. wAKEMAN,s J0URNEYINGs.

ing elrns; rests genialIy upon stone cappines to which the architecture of our time is a stranger; sees amplitude and hospitality be- hind great colonnaded porches; lights upon dorrner windows and Clipped" roofs of such ponderous measurements as could alone have been the outgrowth of eea captains s'square rigged" dreams; and rests I1ere, there and everywhere, upon time softened base, capital and arch as were only wrought in this coun- try in such place when our young, but buxom and aggressive, commerce by sea was winked at for spice of privateering, and in riches of the Indies, West and East.
 Then, again. what real age, for cur land, is here. Professor Rain, of Copenhagen, believes the Old Stone mill of Touro park to be eight or nine hundred years old, and a genuine relic of ante-Columbian Morse colo. nists. The city hall dates back to 1763. On Clark street Is the old Baptist church erected in 17S5. The ancient Honeyman mansion, at the corner of Church and Thames streets, was built in 1704. Trinity church, where worshiped the colonists, the British army of occupation, and finally the successful revolu- tionists, has stood one hundred and forty four years. The Charming house, on Thames street, was built in 1720. Scores of man. sfons are here, built in the earlier part of the
 
 house, on Spring street, has atood two hum dred and fortv-nine years just as you will see it to-day.
 One can almost close his eyes and see tEe ancient folk as they were ones here; so much that was theirs remains. No OCT. quick fans cy is required to revive the very scenes in which they moved. The flavor, the incident, the sight and sound of it all, come easily enough as one wanders here. The stately If ho ats. ness and often the arrogance of the British occupants; the daring and sacrifice of the revolutioniste; the lordly swagger of the rich old sea captains; the pleasance and grace of the French, when De Segur, De Lauzun, Destouchss, De r Estrapade, the Counts De Barras and Noailles, the Marquis de St. Si- mon, the unfortunate Chevalier De Ternay, and Rochambeau with his dainty, huff cod- dled wrists, and with half caught silheuettes of Washington and Howe and pretty Polly Lsiton, and the sound of dancing at Mrs. Cowley's famous Assembly rooms;-all irre- eistibly live with the old, old trees, thor oughfares and mansions, as if waiting here by the sea in this olden sun and air for the coming of one whose genius through glowing them, with all their customs and ways, be- fore an onlooking later age. as though in stately minuet and song.
 Because believe there is as great 8 pro. portion of rich men as of poor men who are endlessly doing good for goods sake, and ab- solutely without other motive, it was a genu- inc enjoyment the other day to sit alongside "General Forrest" the celored smoking car porter on the "congressional limited" train between New York and Washington, and hear his radiant story how the richest man of Chicago, P. D. Armour, had taken him out of the bondage of inexpressible igno- rance and made an educated, hopeful, happy man of him. "Gsneral Forrest" is probably the best known and best liked railway car porter in the world; and his life has been al- most a romantic one. He was a picaninny slave, bought in New Orleans with his noth- or, Ann Burr, (and if black old Ann Burr is living, this little story may give her yet a bit of earthly heaven) few years before the war by the afterwards famous confederate cavalry leader, General N. B. Forrest, for his Coahoma county, Miss, plantation. Though but mite of lad Forrest was fond of him, and kept him at his side at sort of diminu- tive valet until the generals surrender at Gainesville in 1865. For good many years "Gensral Forrest" who thus honestly came by his sobriquet, knocked about like all the rest of the freedmen fotsam and jetsam of the war, finally securing in 1872 position as smoking car porter on the through New York and Chicago trains of the Pennsylvania rail. road. In eighteen years he never was dis. charged, and never left the oompany's ser- vice but once. P. D. Armour was responsi- ble for that.
 He had been to Washington and was on his way west. He had been enjoying cigar in the smoker, and on nearing Altoona wrote telegram, which he directed the "General' to be very particular about with the operator at Altoona, ss one word was not very clear. The "General" filed the message; returned to the car and began his usual avooation, whsn not waiting on passengers, of studying his primer. Armour saw this with some alarm for the fate of his message; questioned him sharply; found that he could not read but that his wits and memory served him iH such exigencies; and on leaving the cs, turned to the porter with:
 "'GeneraT have you got sand enough tt go to school and be man if somebody would send yeua"
 "Golly!" responded the "Genersl." "jes. let somebody try!"
 "All right. Go to school"
 With this Armour left the car. Some two months later, on his way to New York, h' | found the smiling "General" attending to hil l ty Armour brusquely asked: "How's this, 'Generala' I thought toli you to go to school"
 | .sSo you did, for sure, Mir. Armour. Bu I-I-well, jess thought you was funnin me-"
 ''No. I don't fun anybody. I tell you t go to school"
 "All right, I'll go sure this time, if 70, say 50.
 Not another word was exchanged on tn subject. But the "General" left the road l first located at Hamilton college, Virginia changed from this to Wilberforee college
 near Xenia, Ohio, where he remained si tyears, leaving the same we'll educated man
 and, as he says, "with no airs to be
 preacher or an editor," in rhe summer c
 1888; and at once secured car on the "con
 gressional limited, between New York an
 and to this day, Nr. Armour's tremendou
 interests have never interfered with his WIT
 ting this black man, at least once month letters containing expressions of friendship encouragement, approval and drafts rangin
 from twenty to fifty dol1ars. He has e1
 pended fully four thousand dollars on Gene
 ral Forrest's education and support; ha
 made an educated and sensible man of hin
 keeps his picture on his desk in his office
 both he and his son who, the General" say
 is as "plain as a shoe," treat him with th
 greatest friendship and esteem, and hay
 neither ever asked SO much of the "Gene
 ral" as to brush their clothing or clean the boots. Every story should have a happ
 ending. This one will be 50 provided on u 18th of June. On that day "Generaln Fol rest will wed one of the colored bellies
 Wilberforce. Their bridal trip will be Chicago for their benefaetor's blessing; an
 would like to be one to see them ascen the great marble stairs which lead to u , millionairA's La Salle street office, and wi ness the handsome reception when ssGen
 ralD Forrest and bride are announced withi } While in Paris few days since memb 1 1 of the present French cabinet, anxious , secure any sort of intimation as to Amsric presidential possibilities for 1892, pressed I | 90 closely upon the subject that out of P : iteness, as makeshift. combined ren ' nisosnce with the besr guesses could mo